Bishop Barron, Word on Fire
October 4, 2026
โญโญโญ Word on Fire Sermons
27th Sunday of Year A
- 2026 SERMON
- 2023 SERMON
Friends, in our second reading this Sunday, Paul tells the church of Philippi, โHave no anxiety at all.โ Itโs hard to imagine that Paulโwho was shipwrecked many times, beaten within an inch of his life, threatened and harassed and persecuted and opposed, and finally arrested, dragged to Rome, and decapitatedโnever experienced any anxiety. So what does he mean? What he says next is the clue: โBut in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.โ
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The Mother Church of Europe and Paulโs Paradox of Anxiety
Peace be with you. Friends, for this 27th Sunday of the year, I’m again going to skip the Gospel. If you want to find something about the Gospel, go back maybe three years ago; I probably preached on it. But there is something about Paul’s Letter to the Philippians that attracts me so much that whenever that reading comes up, I want to return to it. As I mentioned to you last week, the church of Philippi is very important: it was the first church Paul established in Europe, making it the mother church of all European Christianity, and hence of most Christianity throughout the worldโa community for which Paul held special affection.
Last week we read that magnificent kenotic hymn: “Though he was in the form of God, he emptied himself,” and so on. Today’s reading comes from chapter 4, the final chapter, where Paul bids farewell to the community. It contains passages of enormous spiritual significance, and I want to dwell on them. Here is what he writes to his friends in Philippi:
“Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.”
Now you might say, “Wait a minute: have no anxiety at all?” Coming from Paulโwho was shipwrecked multiple times, beaten within an inch of his life, threatened, harassed, persecuted, opposed, and who was ultimately arrested, dragged to Rome, and decapitatedโit is hard to imagine that man going through life without any anxiety whatsoever. The word anxiety derives from the Latin angustia and the German Angst; it denotes the narrows, the experience of being caught between a rock and a hard place: “If I do this, I am in trouble; if I do that, I am in trouble, and I am stuck.” That is what anxiety means etymologically. Was Paul never in that position? Clearly, he was.
So what is he talking about? How could he tell his people never to have any anxiety and never to worry about anything? Here is the clue: “By prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” He is not talking about the complete elimination of fear and anxiety; that will never happen this side of the eschaton. Whoever you are, living in this world means you will inevitably find yourself between a rock and a hard place.
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From the Rim to the Center: The Depths of Shalom
Recall the great image of the wheel of fortune from medieval cathedrals: the wheel turns, and sometimes you are on top, sometimes you are going down, sometimes you are at the bottom, and sometimes you are rising. That is simply how life goes. At every point on the wheel, anxiety is present: if you are successful, you are anxious about losing it; if you are heading down, you are anxious about your decline; if you are at the bottom, you are anxious about your misery; if you are climbing, you are anxious that you might not make it. Wherever you are on the rim of life, you inhabit a place of anxiety.
In that medieval image, Christ stands at the very center of the wheel. The spiritual task is to move from the rim to the center. Shifting metaphors, it means moving from the surface of life into the depths. Consider an ocean or Lake Michigan, which is like an inland sea: on the surface, the water can be roiled, with crashing waves and whitecaps, but down in the depths, you find great serenity and peace. The surface of the ocean may be in tumult, but the deep abyss remains calm.
Make that transition in your consciousness: move from the surface to the depth, from the rim of the wheel to its center. Root your life in Christ, who links you to the eternal power of God and who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do the storms on the surface cease? No. Does the wheel stop turning? No. That is the reality of human life. But you are no longer living merely on the rim or the surface; you are operating out of that deeper place.
In that place, you discover what the Bible calls shalom. When Jesus speaks of shalomโpeaceโhe is not promising a life exempt from trouble or distress, but a rootedness in God that bestows serenity despite any and all angustia, Angst, and anxiety. The key here is prayer. Paul says that through prayer, you find this peace. What is prayer? We often think of it simply as asking God for things, and like children, we rightly bring our petitions to Him. But as Thomas Merton observed, to pray is to find that place within you where you are, here and now, being created by God. It means consciously moving to that deeper, centered ground where peace resides. The surface storms do not vanish, and fears may still arise, but you no longer dwell at their mercy.
Consider the disciples in the boat during the storm at sea: Jesus walking on the water evokes the peace that masters the storm. Or recall the account where the disciples are screaming in terror while Jesus sleeps in the stern of the boat. He is not indifferent to them; rather, he embodies the absolute shalom that comes from deep communion with the Father.
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The Interior Castle and the Carmelite Witness of John Paul II
The great spiritual tradition continually witnesses to this truth. Teresa of รvila describes it as the Interior Castle. Do the external threats around the castle cease? No. But when you retreat into the interior keep, you find an invulnerable refuge; even while battle rages along the outer walls, you abide in serene peace because Christ lives within you.
John of the Cross speaks similarly of the inner wine cellar where the finest wine is kept. The tragedy, he notes, is that we have lost the key and no longer know how to access it, leaving us trapped in fear and anxiety. Yet there exists a place of spiritual intoxication where one is filled with the Holy Spirit: that inner cellar, that centered ground, the deep indwelling presence of Christ. These are all metaphors pointing toward the same reality, which is the very essence of the spiritual life.
Pope St. John Paul II offers a striking modern example. The defining motto of his pontificate, proclaimed in his inaugural homily and repeated throughout his life, was: “Be not afraid!” Consider the man who spoke those words. Karol Wojtyลa was born in 1920, coming of age during one of history’s darkest hours. During his sophomore year of college, the Nazi regime invaded Poland, decimating Polish society, executing and imprisoning its leaders, and imposing a brutal tyranny.
Young Wojtyลa had to make his way to the clandestine seminary run by Cardinal Sapieha in the basement of the Archbishopโs residence, fully aware that he could be shot on the street at any moment, as some of his fellow students were. After enduring years of Nazi occupation, that regime was replaced by Soviet communism, which imposed another oppressive dictatorship.
If anyone had reason to experience paralyzing fear and anxiety, it was Karol Wojtyลa. He never denied the terror of those realities. Yet as Pope, he could stand before the world and proclaim, “Do not be afraid!” He did not say this out of naive geopolitical optimism or because of some sociological scheme for human progress; he said it because he was deeply rooted in Christ through sustained contemplative prayer. Immersed in the Carmelite tradition of John of the Cross and Teresa of รvila from his youth, he had discovered that interior depth and peace, enabling him to call the entire world to fearless trust. That is precisely what Paul means: have no anxiety, but live from the center.
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The Transcendentals: Contemplating the True, the Good, and the Lovely
As Paul concludes this passage, he adds:
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
While this is an exquisite, lyrical passage, it can easily be dismissed as a mere greeting-card sentimentโa superficial encouragement that “it is nice to be nice.” Yet Paul is articulating a profound theological principle. How do we cultivate this interior peace, this central place of shalom where God dwells? We do so through prayer, and also by intentionally fixing our minds on those true, good, and beautiful realities that reflect God.
Whatever is genuinely good, true, or beautiful participates in God and therefore has the power to lead the soul back to Him. Consider the breadth of this reality:
- A crisply executed fast break on the basketball court or an exceptionally written drama engages our appreciation for grace and excellence.
- An elegantly formulated mathematical equation leads the mind toward divine order and truth.
- The rigorous reflections of a philosopher or a finely crafted short story elevate human understanding.
- A hidden act of moral courage or the heroic apostolic charity of the Missionaries of Charity reveals the radiant goodness of God.
- Michelangeloโs frescoes in the Sistine Chapel or the balanced proportions of classical architecture mirror transcendent harmony.
- A warm, welcoming human face or the unselfconscious joy of an innocent child at play reflects divine goodness.
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Cultivating Divine Peace Through the Good, the True, and the Beautiful
Fix your attention on these things. Cultivate them and learn to love them, not merely out of aesthetic curiosity, but out of theological conviction: the good, the true, and the beautiful lead directly to God.
Moreover, they awaken in us an abiding sense of peace. Why are we moved to contemplative silence before the expanse of the ocean, the grandeur of a cathedral, the art of the Sistine Chapel, or even a flawlessly turned double play? Because in their order, harmony, and grace, they communicate something of the shalom of God.
Surround yourself with these things. Learn to delight in them and cultivate them within a spirit of prayer, thanking God for every manifestation of truth, goodness, and beauty in the world. Living in this manner leads you, step by steady step, toward the interior castle, into the inner wine cellar, and down into that centered sanctuary of profound, unshakable peace.
God bless you.
Friends, in biblical imagery, the vineyard symbolizes the people of God. The Lord nourishes us as our caretaker, but he desires (even demands) that we bear good fruit. The Mass, the Eucharist, the teaching office of the Church, priests and bishopsโthrough these means and through the Church, God cultivates his vineyard.
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The Song of the Vineyard
Peace be with you. Friends, our first reading for this weekend is taken from the fifth chapter of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah is probably the prophet we read from the most in the Old Testament throughout the liturgical year. So, when you have a chance, take out your Bibles, obtain a good commentary, and read your way through the prophet Isaiah. He is featured prominently in many of the liturgical readings. The image from today’s reading is a classic trope within the Israelite tradition: the vineyard as an evocation of the people of Israel. Since I arrived in Southern California, I live in vineyard country in Santa Barbara, and just north of me are some of the most famous vineyards and wine-tasting centers. As I make my way around the region, I pass vineyards constantly. The imagery resonates with me even more now that I am here. Isaiah presents a love song between the maker of the vineyard and his vineyardโa love song that emphasizes the demand of love.
The builder of the vineyard constructs it on a fertile hillside, offering the ideal conditions for the growing of vines. Next, he worked the land assiduously: “He spaded it, cleared it of stones.” Anyone who has ever attempted to clear stones from a field understands how difficult, time-consuming, and backbreaking that labor is. He planted this on choice territory, selecting the finest vines he could find. He spared no expense. Within it, “he built a watchtower, and hewed out a wine press.” The watchtower was meant to safeguard this precious ground against marauders, while the wine press stood in anticipation of a wonderful harvest. Finally, he built a wall around his vineyard to protect it from animals and intruders. The builder has done everything possible to cultivate this vineyard.
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Cultivation and the Disappointment of Wild Grapes
He has loved it, savored it, protected it, given it every consideration, and expected great things of it. This represents the Lord God of Israel in regard to His holy people. All of the spading, protecting, and care evokes the thousand ways the God of Israel has cultivated His people: the Scriptures, the Law, the covenants, the great patriarchs, the prophets, the Temple and its rituals, and above all, the great act of liberation by which God brought Israel out of Egypt. These are the ways He prepared this beautiful vineyard on a fertile hillside.
Then the image takes a dark turn. Despite all his efforts, the vineyard owner is frustrated because when he comes to inspect his crop, he finds only “wild grapes”โor, as the Hebrew suggests, “stinking grapes.” These grapes have failed to come to fruition despite all his labor. You hear this theme throughout the prophetic literature: God gave His whole heart to this people, yet His people did not respond. They were given the Law, the covenants, the Temple, and the Exodus from Egypt, yet they did not respond. In Catholic terms: everything is grace. Grace comes first; God lavishes His unmerited love upon us, but we must cooperate with that grace. God’s grace in itself is no guarantee that the harvest will be fruitful. A response to grace is required.
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The New Israel and the
Necessity of Cooperation
Do not assume this account applies only to ancient Israel, dismissing them as a people long ago who failed to cooperate with God. Saint Paul refers to the Church as the New Israel. Throughout our tradition, prophetic voices have noted that while God has lavished His grace upon the New Israel, we have far too often failed to cooperate. Consider the Catholic perspective: the Sacraments, the Mass, the Eucharist, the example of the saints, and the teaching office of the Pope and the bishops. These gifts represent the ongoing cultivation of God’s vineyardโthe spadework, the removal of stones, the wall, the tower, and the wine press. Yet when He arrives for the harvest, will He find good grapes or wild, stinking grapes?
It remains a question of our cooperation with His grace. The Gospels remind us continually that something significant is at stake in the spiritual life; we have no warrant to be blasรฉ. I am on public recordโand have received criticism for itโfor arguing that we may hope that all people be saved. This is grounded in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which states that in hope, the Church prays for the salvation of all. That hope is rooted in the mercy and grace of God, but hope is not equivalent to presumption or blithe confidence. Saint Thomas Aquinas notes that we only hope for things that are difficult. I hope that all might be saved, but will all be saved? I am in no position to declare that. What will God find when He comes to harvest my own life within the Church, which He has cultivated in so many ways? I must cooperate with His grace.
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Spiritual Physics:
The Ruin of Refusal
Returning to the imagery of Isaiah, consider the result of Israel’s lack of cooperation: “I willโฆ take away its hedge, give it to grazing, break through its wall, let it be trampled! Yes, I will make it a ruin: it shall not be pruned or hoed, but overgrown with thorns and briers.” When the owner finds wild, stinking grapes, the vineyard falls into ruin. This text should never be interpreted as God flying into a rage like a dysfunctional father. This is spiritual physics: when we cooperate with grace, we flourish. When we refuse that grace, we collapse inward.
Saint Augustine defined sin as being incurvatus in seโturned inward on oneself, closed off from grace. When that occurs, the cultivated vineyard falls into ruin, the protective wall is broken down, and devastation enters. This is not arbitrary divine punishment; it is the natural consequence of failing to cooperate with grace.
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The Contemporary Crisis
and the Call to Respond
Statistics have demonstrated for years that roughly seventy percent of Catholics stay away from Mass regularly. They are not receiving the Eucharist, hearing the Word of God, or gathering as a community; they are absent from the source and summit of the Christian life. One quarter of our country claims no religious affiliation whatsoever, and among Catholics under thirty, that figure reaches forty to fifty percent. Furthermore, studies indicate that seventy percent of Catholics do not believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
This absence represents a failure to cooperate with grace. When that cooperation ceases, the vineyard falls into ruinโboth the broader Church and the interior spiritual identity of the individual. Stay with this image from the fifth chapter of Isaiah. It reveals how beautifully God loves and cultivates His holy people. Yet it is not cheap grace or a frivolous love; it is a love that summons a cooperative response. When divine love and human love meet, this great vineyard flourishes. God bless you.
YouTube transcript edited for readability by removing fillers, stumbles, and false starts while strictly preserving the homily’s original cadence and theological accuracy. Infographics and discussion questions are independently produced by TWTW and have no affiliation with Word on Fire.
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