Praying with Confidence and Boldness

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Isaiah 5:1-7

Let me now sing of my friend,
my friend's song concerning his vineyard.
My friend had a vineyard
on a fertile hillside;
he spaded it, cleared it of stones,
and planted the choicest vines;
within it he built a watchtower,
and hewed out a wine press.
Then he looked for the crop of grapes,
but what it yielded was wild grapes.

Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard:
What more was there to do for my vineyard
that I had not done?
Why, when I looked for the crop of grapes,
did it bring forth wild grapes?
Now, I will let you know
what I mean to do with my vineyard:
take away its hedge, give it to grazing,
break through its wall, let it be trampled!
Yes, I will make it a ruin:
it shall not be pruned or hoed,
but overgrown with thorns and briers;
I will command the clouds
not to send rain upon it.
The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel,
and the people of Judah are his cherished plant;
he looked for judgment, but see, bloodshed!
for justice, but hark, the outcry!
 

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20

R. (Is 5:7a) The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
A vine from Egypt you transplanted;
you drove away the nations and planted it.
It put forth its foliage to the Sea,
its shoots as far as the River.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Why have you broken down its walls,
so that every passer-by plucks its fruit,
The boar from the forest lays it waste,
and the beasts of the field feed upon it?
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted,
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name.
O LORD, God of hosts, restore us;
if your face shine upon us, then we shall be saved.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Reading 2 Philippians 4:6-9

Brothers and sisters:
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters,
whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious,
if there is any excellence
and if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things.
Keep on doing what you have learned and received
and heard and seen in me.
Then the God of peace will be with you.
 

Alleluia Cf. John 15:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I have chosen you from the world, says the Lord,
to go and bear fruit that will remain.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
 

Gospel Matthew 21:33-43

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
"Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. 
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. 
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned. 
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way. 
Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking,
'They will respect my son.'
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,
'This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.'
They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 
What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?"
They answered him,
"He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times." 
Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?
Therefore, I say to you,
the kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit."
 

- - -

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Praying with Confidence and Boldness

October 3, 2026 // Saturday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17

Reflect on the Word // 

I finished telling the priest all the things I thought were going wrong and how much I didn’t understand what God was doing. He replied with a truth so simple and yet so profound that it altered how I viewed prayer: God can handle my emotions. I can approach Him at the altar with confidence and ask Him from the depths of my confusion and frustration, What is going on, Lord? 

As I considered these words, I recalled the story of Job. Job lost his wealth and livelihood, grieved the sudden death of his ten children, suffered from physical ailments, and lost the emotional support from his wife and friends. Yet, in today’s First Reading we hear Job say, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be hindered. I have dealt with great things that I do not understand” (Job 42:2-3).  

With deep faith, Job approached God with confidence and boldness. He entered into a dialogue with God, unafraid to ask questions, authentically sharing what he felt. He didn’t pretend to be okay but rather allowed God into the reality of his heart. Ultimately, God restored him and brought healing. In His faithfulness, God “blessed the latter days of Job more than his earlier ones” (Job 42:10).

Job thought his life was over. He experienced profound tragedies, ones that perhaps we can see elements of in our own lives, but there is no suffering, ailment, or calamity on this earth that cannot be lifted at the command of Jesus. We believe in a God with the power to part the sea, make the mountains move, and even make the permanence of death crumble before Him. 

Wherever you are in your life right now, carrying the weight of your own crosses, I implore you to take heart. “Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:5).  May we, like Job, never fear to approach God with confidence and boldness, assured of His presence and His faithfulness, and invite Him into the realities of our own hearts.

Relate to the Lord // Take time today to think and journal about the “tragedies” in your own life. Ask the Lord to give you enduring faith like Job.

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