Rev. Thirburse F. Millott, Pastor
Worship Style - Traditional Roman Catholic
Once again on this pilgrimage, there was a guest speaker for this particular service. The priest offering the Mass was Father Jim Fitzpatrick from Fall River. It was a cold, rainy Saturday night Mass, but Jesus was warming the room.
Father Fitzpatrick based his homily on Matthew 21:33-43, a parable of the Landowner and his vineyard, representing God and His Kingdom on earth. One of the interesting things that is highlighted in this parable is the reference to the Old Testament. Jesus said to the Pharisees, "Have you never read in the scriptures: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is amazing in our eyes'?" Jesus so often takes us back to the Old Testament for reference, which, for us, validates the undeniable inspiration of God's Word. We were also taken to Isaiah 5:1-7, which is the background to the parable of the landowner. (Jesus knew that the Pharisees would know this Scripture.) This certainly challenges us to know our Scriptures. Jesus did. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1.
Father Fitzpatrick went on to explain that the Vineyard of the Lord is wherever life is happening. He suggested that the Scriptures charge us with taking care of the Vineyard with generosity, compassion, mercy, patience and forgiveness. He further suggested that the benefit to living this kind of life is the prospect of everlasting life.
Worship Style - Traditional Roman Catholic
Once again on this pilgrimage, there was a guest speaker for this particular service. The priest offering the Mass was Father Jim Fitzpatrick from Fall River. It was a cold, rainy Saturday night Mass, but Jesus was warming the room.
Father Fitzpatrick based his homily on Matthew 21:33-43, a parable of the Landowner and his vineyard, representing God and His Kingdom on earth. One of the interesting things that is highlighted in this parable is the reference to the Old Testament. Jesus said to the Pharisees, "Have you never read in the scriptures: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is amazing in our eyes'?" Jesus so often takes us back to the Old Testament for reference, which, for us, validates the undeniable inspiration of God's Word. We were also taken to Isaiah 5:1-7, which is the background to the parable of the landowner. (Jesus knew that the Pharisees would know this Scripture.) This certainly challenges us to know our Scriptures. Jesus did. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1.
Father Fitzpatrick went on to explain that the Vineyard of the Lord is wherever life is happening. He suggested that the Scriptures charge us with taking care of the Vineyard with generosity, compassion, mercy, patience and forgiveness. He further suggested that the benefit to living this kind of life is the prospect of everlasting life.