Catholic Mass Readings – Today – New Jerusalem Bible
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Sunday 4 October 2026
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27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
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First Reading : Isaiah 5:1‐7
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Let me sing to my friend
the song of his love for his vineyard.
My friend had a vineyard
on a fertile hillside.
He dug the soil, cleared it of stones
and planted choice vines in it.
In the middle he built a tower,
he dug a press there too.
He expected it to yield grapes,
but sour grapes were all that it gave.
And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem
and men of Judah,
I ask you to judge
between my vineyard and me.
What could I have done for my vineyard
that I have not done?
I expected it to yield grapes.
Why did it yield sour grapes instead?
Very well, I will tell you
what I am going to do to my vineyard:
I will take away its hedge for it to be grazed on,
and knock down its wall for it to be trampled on.
I will lay it waste, unpruned, undug;
overgrown by the briar and the thorn.
I will command the clouds
to rain no rain on it.
Yes, the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts
is the House of Israel,
and the men of Judah
that chosen plant.
He expected justice, but found bloodshed,
integrity, but only a cry of distress.
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Responsive Psalm : Psalm 79(80):9,12‐16,19‐20
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The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

You brought a vine out of Egypt;
to plant it you drove out the nations.
It stretched out its branches to the sea,
to the Great River it stretched out its shoots.

The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Then why have you broken down its walls?
It is plucked by all who pass by.
It is ravaged by the boar of the forest,
devoured by the beasts of the field.

The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

God of hosts, turn again, we implore,
look down from heaven and see.
Visit this vine and protect it,
the vine your right hand has planted.

The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

And we shall never forsake you again;
give us life that we may call upon your name.
God of hosts, bring us back;
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
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Second Reading : Philippians 4:6‐9
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There is no need to worry; but if there is anything you need, pray for it, asking God for it with prayer and thanksgiving, and that peace of God, which is so much greater than we can understand, will guard your hearts and your thoughts, in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, fill your minds with everything that is true, everything that is noble, everything that is good and pure, everything that we love and honour, and everything that can be thought virtuous or worthy of praise. Keep doing all the things that you learnt from me and have been taught by me and have heard or seen that I do. Then the God of peace will be with you.
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Gospel : Matthew 21:33‐43

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people, ‘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.’

Question to AI: Can you give a Roman Catholic explanation of the above Gospel in around 200 words?

Roman Catholic Explanation of Matthew 21:33–43

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants: God's Patience, Justice and Mercy. In this Gospel, Jesus reveals God's enduring love, patience and justice through the parable of the vineyard. The landowner represents God, the vineyard represents His people, and the tenants represent those entrusted with their spiritual care. The servants sent to collect the harvest represent the prophets, whom God repeatedly sent to guide His people towards righteousness. Despite their rejection and persecution, God demonstrated extraordinary patience. Finally, He sent His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, who was also rejected and crucified. Jesus identifies Himself as the stone rejected by the builders, which becomes the cornerstone. Through His death and Resurrection, Christ establishes the foundation of the Church and opens the way to salvation. The parable warns that religious authority carries responsibility. God's Kingdom is not a possession or privilege but a sacred gift entrusted to those who produce the fruits of faith, charity, obedience and holiness. For Catholics, this Gospel invites personal examination. Are we faithful stewards of God's blessings, or do pride, selfishness and disobedience prevent us from fulfilling His will? Through the Sacraments, particularly Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist, Christ offers us the grace to repent and bear spiritual fruit. The central message is that God's patience invites repentance, His justice demands accountability, and His mercy offers salvation through Jesus Christ.