“My daughter, all your miseries have been consumed in the flame of My love, like a little twig thrown into a roaring fire.”
READ: MATTHEW 21:33–46
“Listen to another parable. There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard; he fenced it round, dug a winepress in it and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad. When vintage time drew near he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his servants, thrashed one, killed another and stoned a third. Next he sent some more servants, this time a larger number, and they dealt with them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him and take over his inheritance.’ So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They answered, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will deliver the produce to him when the season arrives.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘It was the stone rejected by the builders that became the keystone. This was the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful to see’? I tell you, then, that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” When they heard his parables, the chief priests and the scribes realized he was speaking about them, but though they would have liked to arrest him they were afraid of the crowds, who looked on him as a prophet.
YOUR THREE-STEP GUIDE TO DAILY MENTAL PRAYER
REFLECT
The owner of the vineyard would have had every right to punish the tenants after they had done away with the first batch of servants. But he didn’t. He sent more and more, and finally he sent his son. Only when we have made a definitive decision against Christ and held fast to that decision in the face of abundant gestures of His love will He let us have what we have wrongly chosen. Christ, the true friend, does not condemn those who refuse His friendship; they condemn themselves.
Jesus: I will never give up on you. If only you knew how much I love my Church and every person in it. If only you knew how patient my Father is, how magnificently and unabashedly He loves each one of His children! Since I will never give up on you, you must never give up on yourself. No matter how many times you offend me, fail, or reject me, I am always ready and willing to renew our friendship. I am always taking the first step, moving you and inspiring you to come back to me.
RESPOND
I pray for those who are far from You, for those who don’t recognize the hardness of their own hearts. Conquer them with Your grace. Don’t let them perish but grant them eternal life. All things are possible for You, Lord, so soften their hearts. Reach out to them through me. I, too, want to give my life for the salvation of others. For the sake of Your sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
What are You saying to me that I am not hearing? What relationship do I need to reform? What responsibility am I neglecting? What mission am I ignoring? Lord, I know that following You will always require the painful steps of humility. Never let me take any other path. Never let me be separated from You.
REST
Thank You for never giving up on me. Thank You for being so patient with me. Thank You for inspiring good desires in my heart. Lord, teach me to be truly humble, to place all my confidence in You, and to learn the secret of lasting joy. Make me a channel of Your peace.
RESOLVE
How can I carry this encounter with me into the day? (Write / Journal)
CLOSING PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Most Blessed and Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank You for Your love and Your grace in allowing me this time of prayer with You.
The world, the flesh, and the devil will all propose things I should focus on and run after today. I beg You to fill me with Your Holy Spirit and help me instead to know and embrace Your will. Help me to see what You desire of me each moment of this day. Give me the wisdom, strength, and fortitude I need to avoid distractions, discern Your will, and focus on and carry out that which Wisdom reveals. Help me to work and live at a pace of peace and prayerfulness, always attentive to You, able to hear Your voice and to say no to anything that hinders my journey to You and a complete yes to every Holy prompting from You.
Help me to humbly and purposefully live, light, and lead others to the path of union with You and to tell everyone about this way of life. Amen.
About the Author
Fr. John Bartunek was ordained in 2003. He has taught moral theology at various ecclesiastical institutions at the graduate and undergraduate levels, and has authored many books, including the Gospel companion, The Better Part, and Inside the Passion, the only authorized behind-the-scenes look at the film, for which he provided on-set spiritual support. His online retreat guides are available in multiple formats at RCSpirituality.org. Fr. John currently resides in Atlanta, where he is serving as territorial vicar for the Legionaries of Christ.
