Gospel: Matthew 21:33-43
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.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
The Mass intention is for John Cassidy RIP (11am).
Reflection:
In today’s parable, Jesus compared the chief priests and elders to the wicked tenants to whom God entrusted His vineyard, Israel. A former president once said, “Power intoxicates.” It seems that this saying is true for the Jewish leaders during Christ’s time. Power has intoxicated them that they forgot who they really were – God’s servants. Power has blinded them to see themselves as tenants who were expected to turn over to the landowner his produce. Unable to see the truth, they persecuted the prophets when God sent them to call back Israel to conversion. When God sent His Son Jesus, what did they do? They had Him killed. This parable applies to us too. We are the new tenants in God’s new vineyard, the Church. God expects us to tend His vineyard and hand Him over His produce at harvest time. For the times that we thought we “own” the vineyard and the produce, for the times we have been intoxicated by our position in the community, for the times we have lost sight of Jesus speaking to us in Word, sacrament, and the people around us, for the times we have failed to give God what is His due, let this parable be a wake up call. “[T]he kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”
- How do you see your role as a volunteer in the parish?
- In your own way, how do you make the Church fruitful?
- How do you avoid the temptation to be intoxicated by power or position in the community?
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word today. Forgive us for the times we have failed to see ourselves as Your tenants. Grant us the grace to listen to You so that we may faithfully look after Your vineyard and give You its abundant produce. Amen.
Sincerely,
Pietro
