Cycle A - Year II:  

4 October 2020:  Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading:        Isaiah 5:1-7

Second Reading:   Philippians 4:6-9

Gospel:  Please Read  Matthew 21:33-43

"We must bear fruits!"

Parents never give up on their children.  Because no matter what, parents consider children as part of themselves.  The story of St. Monica and Saint Augustine is an inspiring example.  His mother never gave up until St. Augustine converted from his sinful ways and become one of the greatest saints of the Catholic faith.

The theme of the Gospel proclamation this Sunday has something to do with God's unbelievable patience and generosity toward His people.

We hear another parable in the Gospel.  Although it was specifically intended for the Chief Priests and elders of the Jews, it also contains a stern warning for Christians in every generation.

Now we know that the Bible frequently uses variations of the image of the vine and the vineyard to express the relationship between God and His people. He has shown His loving care for His vineyard --His people-- by transplanting them from Egypt to the fertile Promised Land.  He has cultivated and protected His vineyard --His people.  God couldn't have done more for them!

The gist of today's parable:  A landowner entrusts his vineyard to his laborers or tenants as he went on a journey.  But the laborers become greedy and violent.  At harvest time, they kill the "servants" sent to collect the landowner's share of the harvest.  Finally, the landowner decided to send his "son" to collect his share of the harvest.  But the tenants killed even the son, so they could take possession of the vineyard all for themselves.  

What then is the message of this parable of the vineyard?

 

The parable richly conveys some important truths about God.  For example, it tells of God's generosity and trust.  The vineyard is well-equipped with everything the laborers need to produce good and bountiful harvest.  The owner went away and left the vineyard in the hands of the laborers and tenants.  Likewise, God trusts us enough to give us freedom to run our life as we choose.  He has endowed us with natural life at birth, bestowed on us spiritual life as well through our Lord Jesus Christ, and made available to us all the means necessary to maintain and nurture both the natural and spiritual lives.  But the Lord expects from us the fruits of God's kingdom by our good and meaningful lives.

But we cannot assume that just because we are the new Chosen People by grace, that we have a stranglehold on salvation.  Because it is not enough to claim Christ in faith; our lives must reflect interior conversion and produce the fruits of God's kingdom by our good works, good examples, and obedience to God's law of love.

There is also the danger that we can mislead ourselves to think that as long as we avoid sin, we will be saved.  The parable makes it clear that it is not enough to merely avoid sinful acts.  The landowner (God) expects us to produce the fruits.  Because producing the fruits does not come about by merely avoiding sin. Rather, we must grow in virtue that produces the fruits of God's vineyard.

In the first reading, the Lord compares the house of Israel to a vineyard. Yahweh has done everything possible for Judah, and expected a harvest of justice and righteousness.  What he got was bloodshed and a cry of anguish.  The fault is not Yahweh's but Judah.  Yahweh has done everything that could be expected and more, but Judah yielded only wild and sour grapes that are good for nothing. 

Also in the second reading, Paul encourages the Philippians to stay faithful to the teaching they received from him.  "The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." (Phil 4:9)

In sum, today's Gospel is really a call for accountability on all of us chosen People of God as stewards of His creation. Let us pray that we may be worthy of the good things that the Lord has done for us by becoming productive  and faithful laborers or tenants, fully aware that the vineyard is on loan to us so long as we render the expected harvest.  We are not the owner of the vineyard--only tenants of the most merciful and just Landowner, God Almighty. Amen.

A blessed Sunday to us all.  And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!