Vol. 14, No. 1, January, 2009

A Love Song for the Lord's Beloved
by Sr. Brigid Meierotto, S.N.C.

In this teaching, we will accept the word of God, the Scriptures into our hearts and minds, letting them be light to us. The Scriptures are the inspired word of God which has the power to accomplish what it says, for us. Yes, for us, right here. right now!

The Scripture we are reflecting upon is Isaiah 5:1-7; Phil. 4:4-7; Mt. 21:33-46. Read these passages slowly, prayerfully.

As you read the Scripture, in your heart ask the Holy Spirit to explain to you the message that the Lord has for you personally. Do not doubt that the Lord Jesus will do this for you, because that is why he came, so that you can get to know and to love Jesus. "These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you" (John 14:25f). Ask the Holy Spirit what you expect from him...something like this: "O Holy Spirit, Jesus said that you would teach me all things and I believe him. Teach me about the kind of relationship Jesus desires to have with me. Teach me what I need to do in order to bear good fruit in my life for the praise of the Lord and for the good of my neighbor! Teach me to love Jesus with my whole heart, giving him praise and adoration with every breath! Thank you, O Holy Spirit."

In these Scriptures we see that the Lord is not far away from us, distant, disinterested -- no! The Lord is telling us that he has a very deep and close relationship with us; it is a love relationship. The Lord approaches us and asks:

"Let me sing for my beloved a love song concerning his vineyard: "

Isaiah says that he is singing a love song about God, the Lord, and about his vineyard, the vineyard being his people. In this love song, the Lord has a complaint against his people. Instead of yielding good grapes, they produce wild grapes. Why should the vineyard (you, me) produce wild grapes, when the vineyard had very fertile soil and the Lord had dug it and cleared it of stones and planted it with choice vines?

And the LORD asks:

"And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard. What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it?"

Why has the vineyard yielded wild grapes? Because the Lord's people have not fol-lowed his commandments, his Ten Words of Life, his law. So instead of justice and righteousness, there is bloodshed, violence, a cry of terror, suffering!

What is the Lord going to do with his vineyard? The Lord prophesize in Isaiah: "And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down" (chapter 5, verse 5).

What is the Lord going to do with his vineyard? Psalm 80 cries out to the Lord, begging him not to destroy his vineyard: "Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock which thy right hand planted" (verses 14, 15).

"Turn again, Look down....then we will never turn from you, give us life and we will call on thy name" (verse 18).

The parable that Jesus tells in Matthew, proclaims what the Father does for his vineyard. He sends his own son, Jesus, to save the vineyard. The only way Jesus can save the vineyard is to die, to give his life to the vineyard, to give his Spirit to us.

What should our response be to Jesus? Each of us knows in our heart where we are in our relationship with the Lord of the vineyard, Jesus. Paul told the Philippians how to respond, and the Holy Spirit is telling us to respond in the same way today:

"Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."

Closing prayer: Thank you, Spirit of love, for teaching me about the kind of relationship Jesus desires to have with me. Continue to teach me what I need to do in order to bear good fruit in my life for the praise of the Lord and for the good of my neighbor! Now the prayer to Mary: "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus! Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen!"