My five sisters and I have a tradition which we call our “zero birthday trip.” When one of us steps into a new decade with a zero attached to our age, we all go on a trip together. The zero-birthday sister is celebrated and loved in a special way, creating an atmosphere of joy and adventure for her rite of passage.
For my last zero-birthday, we traveled to wine country in California. Some had been there. I had not. Wineries, vineyards and the complexities of wine were a mystery to me. Over the years whenever I enjoyed a glass of wine, it never occurred to me to imagine how it reached my glass. After touring wineries, listening to descriptions of the incredible work, chemistry, joy, struggle and stamina required of owning a vineyard, I came away with insight and tremendous respect for vineyard owners and their teams. Each glass of wine has now changed for me, as I see it differently.
Could it be that Jesus chose wine as one of our Eucharistic symbols for those reasons? Could it be that the complexity of the soul of a vineyard reminds us of the complexities of our own souls? Do the scraggly, woody, variegated vines which yield beautiful, lush fruit symbolize our lives?
In today’s gospel, Jesus invites us into the life of a vineyard owner who becomes a victim of extreme betrayal and violence. He, his employees and his family are profoundly rejected. It is a deeply troubling story. But in the end, Jesus reminds his disciples and us: “Did you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone?’”
The Eucharist is a cornerstone of our Catholic faith. Bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus Christ, who is our primary cornerstone. As we eat the bread and lift the cup, we become connected with our essence which is faith, Jesus Christ and one another.
We are a complex people. I believe that Jesus knew what he was doing when he chose the elements of our Eucharistic table. He invites us to place our lives upon this cornerstone each time we participate in the Eucharist. We then become the fruit of that table so beautifully described in today’s second reading from Paul’s letter to the Philippians as we go out to seek: “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious… Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.”
Celebrate zero birthdays! And may every birthday and each day of our lives, remind us of the invitation to drink from the wine of the Eucharistic cup, chosen by Jesus to reflect our complex and beautiful lives.
Susan Naatz
I retired from Creighton University in the spring of 2024, from my position as the senior director of the department of Ignatian Formation and Ministry for Faculty and Staff.
Before Creighton, I worked and served in three Catholic parishes as an educator, director of religious formation, pastoral minister, and counselor.
As a founder of an Omaha Archdiocesan Guatemala mission group called Ixim (Ee-Sheem): Spirit of Solidarity, I continue to help organize and prepare people for mission trips to Guatemala.
My husband John is retired from Creighton Prep High School after serving there for 39 years as teacher, principal, and president. Our beautiful family includes three sons, three daughters-in-law and seven grandchildren.
It has been a deeply spiritual experience to write daily reflections for Creighton’s Online Ministries. Writing about scripture has helped my own personal faith formation journey. But it is when I hear from our readers from all over the world that I receive a tremendous sense of peace and solidarity. I am grateful to all who read our reflections. I experience God through you. Bless you!
