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Gospel: Matthew 21:33-46
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
“Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it,
dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned.
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
Finally, he sent his son to them,
thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,
‘This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’
They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?”
They answered him,
“He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times.”
Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?
Therefore, I say to you,
the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,
they knew that he was speaking about them.
And although they were attempting to arrest him,
they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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One of the most common teaching techniques that Jesus uses in the Gospels is parables. He gives almost forty in all.
Today’s parable is undoubtedly directed at the religious leaders of his day, whom he accuses of being poor stewards of God’s covenant.
Their ancestors abused and killed the prophets. And in stunning fashion, these leaders will do worse by killing the Son of God himself. For this reason, the “vineyard” will be taken away from them and given to the Gentiles.
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What does this parable say about God? And what does mean for the Church, the new Israel?
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God is not a micro-manager.
In the parable, God does not force himself upon his tenants; he allows them to use – even misuse – their freedom for a time. But eventually he returns, holding each person accountable.
In the same way, God allows us to use our freedom for a time. But Jesus warns us that we will be held accountable on the day of judgment, begging the question: What are we held accountable for?
Or, using the imagery of the vineyard, what is the “vine” we are expected to tend?
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Most immediately, we are stewards of our bodies, which Saint Paul calls, “temples of the Holy Spirit.” It’s important to live pure, healthy, balanced lives.
We stewards of our families. We are expected to raise children in the faith, and to model for them how to live faith-filled lives.
We are stewards of this parish – and by extension the universal Church.
We are stewards of this earth. We must not only care for creation, but also all who call this world home, including the poor, the refugee, the hungry, the persecuted, and the forgotten.
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Am I a good steward?
How might I pay closer attention to my responsibilities today?
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Image credits: (1) United Faith Church (2) Life, Hope, and Truth (3) Pinterest