LET US NOT KILL THE LANDOWNER’S SON

Adeladius Makwega – DODOMA

“Today is the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, of the Church’s Liturgical Year.” In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses a parable to teach us about God, who is the true owner of His Kingdom.

There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, entrusted it to tenant farmers, and trusted them to take care of it and manage it.

When the harvest time came, the landowner sent his servants to collect his share of the produce. But the tenants rejected the servants, mistreated them, and even killed them.

Finally, the landowner sent his son, thinking that the tenants would respect him. But they also rejected his son and killed him.

Dear brothers and sisters, they thought that by killing the landowner’s son, they would be able to claim his inheritance.

Through this parable, the Lord teaches us that God builds His Kingdom through His Word, through the people He sends to proclaim that Word, and through His love and care for humanity.

But the important question we must ask ourselves is this: Are we willing to accept God’s action in building His Kingdom, or do we want to build our own kingdoms?

We must recognize that we are only stewards of what God has entrusted to us. Our lives, our talents, our families, and everything we possess are gifts from Him. God expects us to bear good fruit and to use what He has given us for the sake of His Kingdom.

Therefore, let us pray that the Kingdom of God may continue to bear fruit in us and through our lives. Let us be ready to listen to His Word, welcome His messengers, and carry out His will with love and faithfulness.

Amen.

These are the words of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Section for the First Evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization of the Catholic Church, which is responsible for evangelization in many parts of the Catholic Church throughout the world.

Here in Tanzania:

On this Sunday, October 4, 2026, Mwanakwetu attended this Mass at the Church of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Chamwino Ikulu Parish, in the Archdiocese of Dodoma.

The Mass proceeded well, with Father Mwaudama, who celebrated the Mass, giving an opportunity to Christians who were born in the month of September to come forward and receive a blessing.

About ten people came forward: one man, six women, and two children. The one man was Mwanakwetu. They received the blessing and returned to their seats while the congregation sang Happy Birthday to them.

During the announcements, the person responsible for the announcements read the parish’s collection report:

“Last Sunday’s collection was 5,001,000 Tanzanian shillings, while the tithe for September 2026 amounted to 10,090,800 Tanzanian shillings. Thank you to everyone who contributed.”

Following this announcement, Mwanakwetu felt the need to explain in greater detail the Church’s guidance on how offerings and tithes should be used according to the laws and regulations of the Church (Canon Law), because these principles were established a long time ago.

Canon Law does not prescribe a specific percentage—for example, 60% for the parish and 40% for the Diocese—for the ordinary Sunday collection. Such an allocation, where it exists, is determined by the particular norms or regulations of the respective Diocese, rather than by Canon Law itself. However, Canon Law gives the Diocesan Bishop the authority to establish such regulations.

Canon 531 provides that offerings received on the occasion of parish functions are to be placed in the parish fund, except where it is clear that the donor intended the offering for another specific purpose.

To explain this, for example, a faithful person such as Mwanakwetu may donate one million shillings specifically for pastoral services in rural areas or for improvements to the outstations of Parish XYZ.

There should be no ambiguity: that money should be directed to the purpose specified by the donor.

Similarly, if a faithful person named Kazingoma donates three million shillings specifically for orphans of Parish WYZ, that money should be directed to that purpose, as provided for under Canon 531.

Furthermore, Canon 537 requires every parish to have a Parish Finance Council. This council assists the parish priest in the administration of parish goods, according to the norms established by the Diocesan Bishop and the law of the Church.

This means that the parish priest administers the parish’s property on behalf of the Church and in accordance with Church law. Canon 532 also places responsibility on the parish priest to ensure that the parish’s property is administered according to the law.

I believe, dear reader, we are together on this.

According to Canon Law, Church property should be used for purposes proper to the Church, especially worship and spiritual life, expenses related to worship and liturgy, church materials, evangelization and catechesis, pastoral needs of the parish, maintenance of the church and parish buildings, assistance to those in need and works of charity, including support for the sick and the poor, the support and sustenance of Church ministers according to established norms, and contributions toward the needs of the Diocese where there is a diocesan arrangement requiring such contributions.

There are also other legitimate needs of the Church approved by the competent authority.

Canon 1260 recognizes the Church’s right to require from the faithful what is necessary for her proper purposes, while Canon 1262 calls upon the faithful to assist the Church according to the norms established by the Bishops’ Conference.

Therefore:

“Sunday offerings may serve the pastoral needs of the parish, the maintenance of the church and parish buildings, assistance to those in need and works of charity, and contributions toward the needs of the Diocese where there is a diocesan arrangement for doing so.”

What does Mwanakwetu say?

“If we, as Christians, organize ourselves properly from the Small Christian Community all the way to the Diocese, it should not be possible for a Catholic among us to die of hunger simply because of poverty, to miss education because of poverty, or to die because he or she cannot afford medicine. Let us remember that this is possible if we organize ourselves properly...”

This is why Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle says this Sunday:

“We must recognize that we are only stewards of what God has entrusted to us. Our lives, our talents, our families, and everything we possess are gifts from Him.”

When we act contrary to this responsibility, we are, in a sense, killing the Son of the Landowner in His vineyard, thinking that by doing so we will inherit the vineyard. But the Son of the Landowner is Jesus Christ.