“What more was there to do for my vineyard that I had not done?” (Isaiah 5:4)
As we enter the month of October, the beautiful image of the vineyard in this Sunday’s readings invites us to pause and ask a very personal question: What more could the Lord have done for me?
The prophet Isaiah speaks of God as the loving owner who carefully planted, protected and nurtured His vineyard. The vineyard is Israel, but it can also be each one of us. God has given us life, faith, family, friends, opportunities, talents, and countless blessings. How often do we stop to recognize them? Gratitude begins when we take time to count—not only our difficulties—but also our blessings.
The Gospel presents another vineyard and reminds us that what God gives us is also entrusted to our care. We are not merely recipients of God's gifts; we are stewards. Our lives, our families, our parish community and even the gifts within us are vineyards that need to be cultivated faithfully.
This connects beautifully with St. Paul's words to the Philippians: “Whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious…think about these things” (Philippians 4:8). We spend considerable time cultivating our homes, careers, bodies and material well-being. But how much attention do we give to the cultivation of our spiritual life? A healthy life is not complete without a healthy soul. Prayer, Scripture, the Eucharist, reconciliation and acts of charity are the nourishment by which our inner vineyard flourishes.
This month, we are also invited to take seriously the Holy Father’s October prayer intention: for mental health ministry. Pope Leo XIV asks us to pray that mental health ministry be established throughout the Church, helping to overcome the stigma and discrimination experienced by people with mental illnesses.
This is a ministry we must recognize and embrace. Many people carry invisible wounds, struggles, anxiety, loneliness or emotional burdens that others may never see. As a Church, we are called to be a community where people can speak without fear, be listened to without judgment, and encounter the compassion and hope of Christ. Mental health ministry does not replace professional medical care; rather, the Church can offer friendship, accompaniment, prayer, dignity and hope.
Let us therefore ask ourselves: How am I caring for the vineyard God has entrusted to me? And what more can I do—not only for my own spiritual growth, but for someone who may be quietly struggling?
May October be a month of gratitude, spiritual renewal and compassionate care, so that the Lord may find in each of us a vineyard bearing abundant fruit.
I also wish to add that I will be leading a group of pilgrims on Marian Pilgrimage for 14 days, starting from October 5. I request your prayers and assure you of my prayers for your intentions at the five Marian shrines that I will be visiting.
Thank you and God bless you all!
