Who owns the vineyard?  This simple question lies at the heart of today’s Gospel. The answer is clear: the vineyard belongs to the landowner, not to the tenants. The tenants were entrusted with the vineyard, but they were never its owners. This is also a beautiful reminder for us as a parish community: we are servants and stewards; we are not the owners.

My reflection today is about parish life, particularly our life as a community in St. Francis Xavier Parish. The parish is, in a very real sense, God’s vineyard. Our church and chapels, our ministries, our programs, our resources, our talents, our time, and all the gifts we receive are entrusted to us by God. Even the people whom God brings into our community are gifts entrusted to our care. The tenants in the Gospel received the vineyard, but eventually they began to act as though the vineyard belonged to them. And this can happen even in parish life.

We may begin by saying, “I am serving the parish.” But after some time, we can slowly begin to think: “This is my ministry.” “This is my group.” “This is my chapel.” “This is my responsibility.” “This is my decision.” And when someone suggests something different, we become defensive. Why? Because the servant has slowly begun to think like an owner. But a servant does not own the vineyard. A servant cares for the vineyard because it belongs to the Master.

The Gospel also tells us that the tenants rejected the messengers sent by the owner. Why? Because the messengers reminded them of something they did not want to hear: “You are not the owners. You are only the tenants.” Sometimes, we too resist the people who remind us of the truth. We do not always welcome correction. We do not always appreciate being challenged. We may even reject those who invite us to change. But perhaps sometimes, the messenger is precisely the person God sends to help us take better care of the vineyard.

This month, many ministries in the Diocese of Novaliches are renewing their commitment to serve. This is a good opportunity for all of us to remember why we serve in the first place. When we forget that God is the owner, ministry can become possession. When we forget that God is the owner, leadership can become control. And when we forget that God is the owner, the parish can become divided into territories: “My group.” “Your group.” “Our ministry.” “Their ministry.” But there is only one vineyard. And there is only one Master.

All of us—priests, religious, lay ministers, parish workers, choir members, catechists, youth, parents, and parishioners—are called to be servants in the vineyard of the Lord. Our ministries and responsibilities are not possessions. They are gifts and opportunities to serve. The greatest privilege of being a servant is not to possess the vineyard, but to care for it faithfully.

And when the Master comes, may He find that the vineyard He entrusted to us has become fruitful—a community marked by faith, communion, generosity, service, forgiveness, and love. Because in the end, we are not the owners of the vineyard. We are its servants. And everything we have is a gift entrusted to us by God.