God as a Hard-Working Gardener
Jenny Drzewiecki • March 19, 2025
Reflecting on the image of God could be one of the elements of our Lenten journey. The image of God that we created in our heart is vital to all of us. It determines our relationship with God and how we pray. Today’s gospel on the 3rd Sunday of Lent, encourages us to ask a question about our personal image of God. “Who is God to me and what is my relationship with God?”
The people of the Old Testament believed God to be a strict judge who watches people all the time. He rewards them for good and punishes them for evil deeds. The image of God was quite negative. According to the Old Testament, God followed the mentality, “life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foot for foot" (Deuteronomy 19:21). Furthermore, the Old Testament approach to the image of God was that every sickness, poverty, or childlessness were signs of the absence of God’s grace due to human sins.
The New Testament brings us a more positive image of God. According to Jesus, God is like a loving parent who loves his children unconditionally even when they fail. God is like a Loving Father, who waits for his prodigal son and welcomes him home without a doubt and without condition. Jesus called God “Abba” (Daddy) when he taught his disciples how to pray the “Our Father”. God is compared to the Good Shepherd, who finds his lost sheep. Similarly, God is compared to a Woman, who rejoices when she finds her lost coin. The New Testament offers us an image of God which is positive and encouraging.
In today’s gospel Jesus was confronted with two disasters in Israel. People who questioned him believed that those who were killed by Pilate and those who died during an accident in Siloam were punished by God for their sins. Jesus contradicted their belief with an image of God who is just, merciful, and loving.
Jesus tells a parable about a gardener and fig tree as an answer to the people who doubted God’s unconditional love. God was compared to a hard-working gardener, who takes care of a tree even if the tree is fruitless for years. According to this parable, God loves all people regardless of their effort and good deeds. God never gives up on people.
The Lenten season encourages us to reflect on our image of God. This is a good opportunity to think about the image of God we inherited from our parents and teachers in our childhood. Many of us were taught that God follows the Old Testament mentality of “eye for eye, tooth for tooth.” I know people who are afraid of God. This kind of image does not foster a close relationship with God, nor does it help us to pray. Perhaps our personal image of God has changed through the years, and we are not aware of it. Even if we believe in an image of God who is loving like a good parent, we can still have doubts. Let today’s gospel and our personal encounter with God during our Lenten journey dissolve our doubt and encourage us to trust in God completely.
Fr. Andrzej
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“The language of love” is a classic English idiom that has been around for centuries. It suggests that love can be felt and understood without words. Writers have used the phrase since the 1500s, and it has become a familiar theme in poetry and romance. We hear about love every day – in television shows, films, and stories from cultures around the world. Yet there is a paradox: not everyone means the same thing by love. Sometimes we call something love when it is not love at all. We may use the word often without understanding what love truly asks of us. Moreover, love can become just a word unless our actions show what it truly means. The readings for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time invite us to reflect on true love: the love God has for us and the love we are called to share. In the Gospel, Jesus gives us the two great commandments: to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. These two commandments are inseparable. Our love for God takes root in prayer and grows through the care we offer one another. The reading from Exodus shows us what this love looks like in everyday life. God calls the people to treat the foreigner with compassion and to care for widows, orphans, the poor, and those burdened by debt. God hears their cries and draws near to them. Divine love does not look away from suffering. Contrary, it responds with tenderness, justice, and practical help. This is a hopeful invitation for all of us. We do not have to do everything, but each of us can take a step: notice someone who may feel alone, offer a listening ear, share what we can, or help connect a neighbor with support. As a parish community, we can keep asking how our hearts and our ministries might reflect God’s compassion more fully. I am especially grateful to everyone who serves those in need through our parish’s Food Pantry, St. Vincent de Paul outreach, Prayer Shawl ministry, Grief support group, Widows and Widowers Circle, and the many other ministries that belong to Human Concerns. Through your generosity and faithful presence, you help make God’s love visible in our community. Thank you for all that you do. May Jesus teach us to love God wholeheartedly and to recognize his presence in every neighbor. May our words and actions bring comfort, hope, and a sense of belonging to those who need them. Fr. Andrzej
Today’s Gospel presents a challenging question and a profound answer. When asked, “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” Jesus responds, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” His words invite us to reflect on the relationship between the sacred and the ordinary in our daily lives. The sacred refers to what we set apart for God: prayer, the Eucharist, our churches, and the holy times we dedicate to the Lord. The ordinary includes our daily work, family responsibilities, relationships, and the many activities that fill our days. Both dimensions are important, and we need to respect and appreciate each of them. We need the sacred to remind us of who we are and how precious we are in God's eyes. We need time for prayer, Sunday Mass, and rest. We need sacred places where we can encounter God, find peace, and renew our faith. These moments help us step away from our busy routines and remember that life is about more than work, responsibilities, and achievements. We belong to God, and our dignity comes from him. At the same time, we must not overlook the ordinary things of life. Our work, family life, friendships, and service to others are also gifts from God. When we approach them with love, honesty, and a spirit of service, even ordinary activities become opportunities to live our faith. We do not encounter God only in church or during prayer. We can also meet God in the people we love and serve. The challenge is to maintain a healthy balance between these two dimensions. Sometimes our responsibilities become so demanding that we have little time for prayer or spiritual renewal. We may become so busy doing things for God and others that we forget to spend time with God. At other times, we may separate our religious practices from the way we live and treat others. Jesus invites us to bring these dimensions together. We need time dedicated to God, and we need to let our relationship with God shape everything else we do. Sunday should be more than another busy day. It should be a time for worship, rest, family, and renewal. Our prayer should lead us to greater kindness, our worship to deeper love, and our faith to more generous service. As we reflect on Jesus' words, let us ask ourselves: Do I give God the time and attention He deserves? Do my daily activities reflect my faith and Christian values? May we learn to respect the sacred, appreciate the ordinary, and recognize God's presence in both. Above all, may we remember that our whole life belongs to God. Everything we do can become an offering to Him when we live with faith, gratitude, and love. Fr. Andrzej
Last Sunday, Jesus spoke to us about the vineyard and the landowner. The vineyard can be seen as a beautiful image of all creation. God, the loving Landowner, created everything in balance and harmony. But this harmony was wounded by original sin. Since then, God has never stopped working to restore what was broken. He patiently calls us back to Himself and invites us to share in His work of restoring harmony in our hearts, our relationships, and our world. Those who accept His invitation are welcomed into His vineyard. Today, Jesus gives us another image: a wedding banquet. This banquet represents the heavenly banquet God has prepared for all His children. God wants everyone to share in His joy and life. His invitation is generous and freely given, but we must accept it. The Eucharist is a beautiful glimpse of this heavenly banquet. Every time we celebrate Holy Mass, Jesus Himself invites us to His table. In the Eucharist, we receive His Body and Blood and are united with Him and with one another. It is no wonder that heaven has often been described in Christian art and by spiritual writers as the eternal Eucharistic banquet. But the Gospel also reminds us about the wedding garment. At Baptism, each of us received a white garment as a sign of our new life in Christ. This garment reminds us of the grace of Baptism and the harmony God desires in our hearts. We are called to keep that garment bright by living in God's grace, turning away from sin, forgiving others, praying, and loving our neighbor. The Lord continues to invite us: “Come to the banquet!” Let us not ignore His invitation or postpone our response. Let us open our hearts to His grace and allow Him to restore the harmony He desires for us. We are especially blessed at St. Martin of Tours Parish to have Holy Mass celebrated every day in our church. Let us take advantage of this beautiful gift whenever we can. Each celebration of the Eucharist gives us a glimpse of the heavenly banquet and reminds us that we are made for eternal life with God. You will notice that this bulletin has additional pages. We want to invite and encourage everyone to join our upcoming Fall Harvest Fest in November, when we will celebrate our patron, St. Martin of Tours. During this celebration, we will also bless the completed stained-glass window project, which beautifully reflects the life of St. Martin and the works of mercy. Additionally, I also want to express my sincere gratitude to Paul Rotzenberg, Chair of our Finance Council, for preparing the Report on Financial Results for Fiscal Year 2025–26, published in this edition of the bulletin. I am grateful not only for this report but also for Paul's faithful service and for his commitment to being a good steward of the resources entrusted to our parish. May St. Martin intercede for us and help us faithfully accept the Lord's invitation, so that one day we may share fully in the eternal banquet prepared for us in heaven. Fr. Andrzej
Next weekend, our parish community will joyfully welcome a precious gift: a first-class relic ex ossibus – a small portion of the bone – of St. Faustina Kowalska, the Apostle of Divine Mercy. This relic was given to our parish by the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Kraków, Poland, where St. Faustina lived, prayed, and received the revelations that helped spread the message of Divine Mercy throughout the world. We welcome this relic with gratitude, dignity, and reverence. The Church honors the relics of the saints because their lives point us to Jesus Christ. St. Faustina does not draw our attention to herself. She continually leads us to the merciful heart of Jesus. The Gospel for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time gives us a beautiful way to understand St. Faustina’s life. Jesus tells us about a father who asks his two sons to work in his vineyard. One says no at first, but later changes his mind and goes. The other says yes, but does not follow through. Jesus reminds us that what matters is not simply what we say, but whether we listen to God and put His will into action. In a beautiful way, St. Faustina was like the son who heard the call of his master and responded with his life. Jesus called her to a particular mission: to proclaim His mercy to the world. She listened, trusted, and said yes. Even when the path was difficult, she remained faithful to the mission entrusted to her. Through her prayer, suffering, writings, and witness, she helped bring the message of Divine Mercy to countless people. Her life reminds us that God also calls each of us to work in His vineyard. We may not receive the same mission as St. Faustina, but we are all called to listen and respond. It is not enough to speak about God's mercy. We are called to receive it and share it with others through forgiveness, compassion, kindness, and care for those who are suffering or forgotten. During every Mass next weekend, we will have a special dedication and prayer as we welcome the relic. I warmly invite you to join us and, through the intercession of St. Faustina, entrust yourself, your family, and our parish community to Divine Mercy. Beginning this month, we will also pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on the first Saturday of each month at 3:00 pm, during Confessions. I encourage you to make this time of prayer part of your spiritual life. May St. Faustina's example inspire us to listen when the Lord calls, to say “yes” not only with our words but with our lives, and to faithfully fulfill the mission He entrusts to us. St. Faustina, Apostle of Divine Mercy, pray for us! Jesus, I trust in You! Fr. Andrzej
On September 24, 2026, the Catholic Church in the United States will celebrate the beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, a beloved priest, bishop, teacher, author, and evangelist. His life reminds us that holiness is possible in every time and place – and that our gifts are meant to bring others closer to Christ. Born in Illinois in 1895, Archbishop Sheen became one of the best-known Catholic communicators of the twentieth century. Through radio, television, books, and preaching, he shared the Catholic faith with millions of people. His programs, especially “The Catholic Hour and Life Is Worth Living,” made the Gospel accessible to ordinary people. Yet behind his public ministry was a deeply spiritual man who loved Jesus Christ, the Eucharist, the Blessed Mother, and the Church. His beatification is a significant moment for the Church in the United States. The cause for his canonization was opened in 2002, and Pope Benedict XVI declared him Venerable in 2012. In 2019, Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to his intercession. The beatification, which is the last step before his canonization, will take place in St. Louis, Missouri. What can life of Archbishop Sheen teach us about our own faith? Sheen teaches us first to put Christ at the center of our lives. His education, preaching, writing, and broadcasting were all directed toward one purpose: helping people know Jesus Christ. He also reminds us that we are all called to share the Gospel. We may never preach to thousands of people, but we can witness to Christ through our kindness, patience, generosity, forgiveness, service, and love. Finally, Sheen shows us that our work must flow from prayer and a personal relationship with God. Our ministry becomes fruitful when it begins with the Lord. Today’s Gospel (Matthew 20:1-16a) gives us a beautiful way to understand his life. Jesus tells us about a landowner who repeatedly goes out to invite workers into his vineyard. The landowner is an image of our generous God, who never stops calling us. It is never too late to come to God or to return to Him. Archbishop Sheen used his gifts – his intelligence, voice, writing, and ability to communicate – to invite people into God’s vineyard. His beatification invites each of us to ask: Where is God calling me to serve? Whom is He asking me to invite? God continues to go out looking for us. His invitation is always open. Whether we respond early or late, God welcomes us with generous love. May Blessed Fulton J. Sheen teach us to recognize God’s invitation, respond generously, and use our gifts to bring others to Christ. It is never too late to say “yes” to God. Blessed Fulton J. Sheen, pray for us! Fr. Andrzej