SUNDAY REFLECTION (Matthew 21:33-43)

 “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.”

In the Gospel reading, God reminds us that He has gifted us a place we can call home—a place where we can find peace and rest. He created a world that provides us with what we need throughout our lives. However, when our personal interests get the better of us, we often forget Who gifted us with such abundant blessings. We can become the worst versions of ourselves when we begin comparing ourselves with others, measuring how many things we have under our names, and developing the habit of claiming ownership over things that we can never truly possess—especially when they are far greater than material things.

Last Sunday, October 4, 2026, I was truly amazed by how the priest related the Gospel to the ongoing issue surrounding Pax Silica, and I came to understand why. Authorities have simply taken away something that was never truly theirs to begin with, claiming a healthy and living land as their own simply because they have the power to do so. But the issue goes far beyond ownership. It is about people in positions of power choosing to ignore the cries of Indigenous people—people who have long lived with gentleness, respect, and care for the land that He created. Taking over ancestral land and transforming it into a machine for profit is not only a disrespect to Indigenous people; it is also an injustice against the creation of our Almighty God.

The Gospel reminds us that the very place we call home is not truly ours to claim as our own. It is a gift—a place where we are blessed to live, grow, and spend the lives that God has given us. Whatever we do, this land, the water, and all other creations of God are not ours to simply proclaim as our property. Even a piece of paper with the word “Owner” written on it holds little meaning when we recognize the true Creator. We convince ourselves that we own things because we say so, act as though we do, or believe that we do. And perhaps this is why, even when we have so much in life—even when we possess the grandest material things—we can still feel empty inside. We keep believing that our happiness can be found in the things we call our own, forgetting that everything we have is ultimately a gift.

May we never forget that in this life, we have been blessed with a place we can call home—a place where we can find peace and rest our hearts. He created this beautiful land and entrusted it to us as our temporary home. May we learn to be gentle with it and respect it as something living and sacred. May we walk upon this land with reverence, remembering that it was created with His children in mind, and that He has given us this beautiful world in which to live, grow, and experience the fullness of life.

May we never confuse being entrusted with something with truly owning it. For everything we have, and everything we call home, is ultimately His.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the home, the land, and all the blessings You have entrusted to us. Teach us to be humble stewards of Your creation, to respect the land and its people, and to choose love over greed and compassion over power. May we always remember that everything we have is ultimately a gift from You. Amen.

- Gabrielle Nengasca