A Question with No Right Answer

THE LEADERS of the people of Israel have been trying to catch Jesus in an error or verbal inconsistency for several days. They pose what they think is a radical question, requiring Him to take a side: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? (Mt 22:17). We should remember that the Jewish people were uncomfortable in the Roman empire for political as well as religious reasons: the worship paid to the emperor was an affront to the God of Israel.

Esteemed parishioners of Blessed Sacrament and visitors,

Today's liturgy presents us with a parable that speaks of a wedding banquet to which many were invited. The First Reading, from the Book of Isaiah, prepares us for this theme by speaking of the banquet of God. Throughout Scripture, the banquet is a powerful image of the joy of communion and the abundance of the Lord's gifts.

Esteemed parishioners of Blessed Sacrament and visitors,

In keeping with our diocesan tradition of celebrating creation during October, Bishop John Dolan invites us this weekend to celebrate the Mass for the Care of Creation. The English translation of this Mass was promulgated by the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on August 4, 2026.

Esteemed parishioners of the Blessed Sacrament and visitors,

In the parable, Jesus tells of a man with two sons. He instructed both of them to go out and work in the vineyard. The first son said, "I will not go," but later changed his mind and went. The second son said, "I will go," but he did not go.

It was Tuesday evening of what we now call Holy Week. For the second time, Jesus had driven the buyers and sellers from the Temple area [cf. Mt 21:12-13, Mk 11:15-17; Lk 19:45-46]. This infuriated the Temple authorities who profited handsomely from those transactions. All three evangelists, Matthew, Mark and Luke, tell us that, afterward, they went to the Mount of Olives to spend the night. There, Jesus shared with His disciples the parable which we hear in this week's Gospel - the Parable of the Workers [cf. Matthew 20:1-16].

God Settles Our Debt in Confession

JESUS TOLD the story of a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants (cf. Mt 18:21-35). They brought before him a man who owed him ten thousand talents. This was an exorbitant amount; in today's terms, we would see it as a debt more suitable for a large corporation than an individual.

Esteemed parishioners of Blessed Sacrament and Visitors,

In the first reading for this Sunday, Prophet Ezekiel is called to be a sentry, or guard, to ensure that the people of Israel remain faithful to the covenant. In ancient times, a sentry was an army guard tasked with watching over his men to prevent them from being taken by surprise.