Saint Matthew 21:33-46

Grady Johnson, age four, asked Kerry, his mother, if he could help her with her nursing duties at the Hospital…

"Do you think you could give aspirin to a patient who has a headache?" Grady's Mom asked. "Sure!" he replied.

"Do you think you could spoon-feed a patient who couldn't use both hands?" Mom asked. "Sure!" Grady replied.

Do you think you could draw blood?" Mom asked. Whereupon, Grady ran to his room and came back with a red crayon and a blank sheet of paper in his hand.

In today's Gospel Reading Jesus tells a parable about some wicked, murderous men who do indeed draw blood - killing anyone who stands in their way in their pursuit of money and possessions. After telling the story, Jesus asks His listeners what should be done to those evil-doers. They said to him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death," they answer. Jesus then sums up the Lesson, saying, "The Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the Kingdom." (Matthew 21:43).

Many of us know from our own experience, and many of us have yet to learn, that unless we are bearing fruit, in the Gospel sense, there is no way we can be at peace with our attitude and approach to life.

"The tree can be told by its fruit." Jesus said (Matthew 12:33). Moreover, He said, "The one who received the seed in rich soil, hears the Word and understands it … yields a harvest and produces now a hundred fold" (Matthew 13:23).

"You did not choose Me," Jesus said, "No, I chose you and I commissioned you to go out and bear fruit, fruit that will last, and then the Father will give you anything you ask Him in My name. What I command you is to love one another" (John 15:16:17).

In the New Testament Letter of James it is written,

""For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace" (James 3:16-18).

Over the triple doors of the Milan Cathedral in Italy, there are three inscriptions spanning their majestic arches …

Carved above the arch on one side is a wreath of roses and the legend, "All that pleases is but for the moment."

Carved above the arch on the other side is a cross and the legend, "All that troubles is but for the moment."

Carved beneath the great central arch are the words, "That only is important which is eternal."

Which is not meant to imply that the only things that are really important take place after you die. In Theological terms, that would be a heresy. In Biblical terms, in Gospel terms, in Christian terms, what you do with your life in the here and now is of the utmost Eternal importance.

Your Eternal Life already is in progress. Your Eternal Life is now. Thus, Jesus prayed, "Father, the hour has come! Glorify Your Son so that Your Son may glorify You and, through the power over all humankind, that You have given Him, let Him give eternal life to all those You have entrusted to Him. And Eternal Life is this: to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John 17:1-3).

You are in God's plan of Creation. You are God's concern. Your coming into the world is of the utmost eternal significance.

Your earthly journey is of the utmost eternal significance.

Your relationship with God is of the utmost eternal significance.

Your relationship with Jesus Christ is of the utmost eternal significance.

Your relationships with your fellow human beings are of the utmost eternal significance.

Several people were standing on a corner of New York City's Eighth Avenue, waiting for a bus …

An elderly man spoke to the young fellow standing next to him. "Today is my eighty-sixth birthday," he said. "And it seems as though I can't help remembering all the time I spent waiting all of those years.

"Waiting?" the young man asked. "Yes," the eighty-six-year-old replied, "All my life I've been waiting for something, or someone. I couldn't wait to be able to shave. I couldn't wait to get my driver's license. I couldn't wait to have my first date. I couldn't wait to vote. I couldn't wait to be engaged. I couldn't wait to get married. I couldn't wait to have my first child. I couldn't wait to have my first grandchild. I couldn't wait to retire. Now I can't wait to die. And, after all these years of waiting, this much I know. I'm not going to wait one second longer for that bus." And he didn't!

In terms of realizing our potential to become complete human persons, we play a waiting game, many of us.

In terms of experiencing the good life we all need and want, we play a waiting game, many of us.

We need to ask ourselves, are we merely going through the motions, playing the waiting game, here and now, or have we come together in Jesus; Name in the expectation that God has something really important to say to us about life, about our priorities, about our Christian Ministry about who we are and what we ought to do, day-by-day?

Day-by-day, O dear Lord,
Three things we pray.
To see Thee more clearly,
Love Thee more dearly,
Follow Thee more nearly,

Day-by-day.

"It is to the Glory of My Father that you should bear much fruit, and then you will be My Disciples," says the Lord Jesus to you and to me, here and now (John 15:8).

O Dear Lord, no more playing the waiting game.

O Dear Lord, now - today - we want to experience Your loving presence in a whole new way.

O Dear Lord, Day-by-day, empower us to open the doors of our hearts to Your abiding love.

O Dear Lord, Day-by-day, empower us to share Your infinite love with our sisters and brothers everywhere.

O Dear Lord, Day-by-day, empower us to be Your true Disciples that we may bear much rich fruit - Day-By-Day!

Thanks be to God!!!!! Amen!!!