Sermon – Let Us Bear Fruit in God’s Vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7 | Matthew 21:33-43) – October 4, 2026

This Sunday's readings present us with two images that are both beautiful and very challenging: the vineyard and the fruit.

At first reading, the prophet Isaiah speaks of a man who owned a vineyard and did everything in his power to make it bear good grapes.

He prepared the soil, cleared away the stones, planted the finest vines, and built a tower to protect it. He did everything in his power. But when harvest time came, the vineyard yielded worthless, bad grapes.

This bond represents the people of Israel, but it also represents each and every one of us.

God is the farmer who tends to our lives with love, patience, and selflessness. He delivers His Promise to us, stands by us in difficult times, forgives our sins, and gives us opportunities to start anew.

But today the Word of God asks us this question: What fruit do we produce in the Lord’s garden?

God prepares everything so that we can bear fruit; but we too must do our part to reach God.

In the Bible, Jesus returns to the image of the vineyard, telling the parable of the murderous vineyard workers.

A vineyard owner planted a vineyard, fenced it off, built a wine press and a tower inside, and rented his vineyard to some laborers. When harvest time came, he sent his servants to gather the fruit. However, he mistreated some of the laborers and even killed others.

Finally, the vineyard owner sent his own son, thinking they would respect him. But the vineyard workers killed him too, hoping to seize the inheritance.

This analogy tells us the story of liberation.

God never ceased loving his people. He sent prophets to call Israel to repentance, but most did not listen. Finally, he sent his own Son, Jesus Christ; he too was rejected and crucified.

Yet this analogy doesn't only speak to the past. It speaks to us today as well.

How often do we wish to benefit from God's gifts, but forget that we are merely the managers of His garden?

Life, family, talents, work, and possessions are all gifts from God.

We are not the absolute owners of anything. We are called upon to approach everything responsibly and to put our abilities at the service of others.

Our bodies and health are also gifts that God has entrusted to us for a limited time, until He wishes to call us to eternal life.

Sometimes, we behave like the shoemakers in the allegory. We want everything to be ours, for our own will to prevail, and for no one to tell us what to do.

We forget that God has a place in our lives and that others also have rights.

We often forget that we don't have complete control over our lives. We know we're alive today, but who knows what tomorrow will bring?

It is God who has control over life and death. He has the final say regarding our lives.

Therefore, we should regard everything we possess as a trust from God, and we must take good care of it and manage it properly.

Ultimately, we will return everything to God.

Therefore, it is very important to respect and obey the message that God conveyed to us through the prophets and Jesus.

He didn't decide to come into this world because he had nothing more important to do. He came to bring the message of salvation because he loved us so much that he would even sacrifice his own life for us.

In the Bible, the vineyard workers killed the son. Similarly, the Jews of that time killed Jesus.

So what are we doing? Aren't we also killing Jesus?

We can reject Jesus not only with our words, but also with our actions.

We reject Jesus when we sin, when we harbor hatred, when we refuse to forgive, when we are indifferent to the suffering of others, and when we close our hearts to His Word.

We reject Jesus when we don't want to listen to what he says and obey him.

But there is a message of hope in this Bible.

Jesus says:

The stone, rejected by builders, became a cornerstone.

The rejected stone is Christ himself. He was rejected, humiliated, and crucified, but God resurrected him and made him the foundation of our salvation.

This means that sin and rejection don't have the final say.

God can bring forth life even in places where death seems to be the only thing present. He can transform our sins and shortcomings into opportunities to change our lives and make a new beginning.

Therefore, today we can ask ourselves: How are we taking care of what God has entrusted to us? Are we bearing the fruits He expects from us?

Are we aware that everything we possess has been given to us by God for a period of time to sustain us, and that we will eventually have to return it?

The Lord does not expect a perfect life from us; He expects a heart ready to listen to Him, to change, and to bear fruit.

May this Sunday help us understand that our lives only find true meaning when they bear fruit. Let us not be selfish owners of the vineyard; let us be loyal workers who protect it with devotion and generosity.

When the Lord finally comes to seek the fruit of our vineyard, may He find in us a life stamped with faithfulness to the Gospel.

May the Virgin Mary intercede on our behalf, reminding us not to waste the gifts we receive and to always be grateful for everything God has given us.