Walking with Jesus: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 5:1-7; Philippians 4:6-9; Matthew 21:33-43

What is it that I want in life? What is it that God wants of me in my life? Are these two the same? If not, why not? If God wants the fullness of life, love and happiness for me that leads closer to being with Him in heaven, isn’t that my goal too? If my goal is solely concerned with myself, are my relationships with others happy and fulfilling? If my relationships are based on a disproportionate dwelling on myself or my attainments, do I find an honest, truthful and warm intimacy with those closest to me? Or do I leave these encounters with a sour taste in my mouth? The readings today direct us to God and how He refuses to give up on us but continually offers His grace. This enables us to be closer to Him and others in a real, caring, honest, unselfish way ... closer to the real meaning of love. What is in me that makes me comfortable? What is in me that I seem to rebel against? Why do I make war within myself and with God? We turn now to the wisdom found in today’s readings.

Up to this point Isaiah’s advice has concentrated on challenging the king and people to abandon pride and self interest. Instead they should concentrate on service to God and the wholehearted practice of religion. He does this by “presenting” the lyrics of a song “telling of a friend that had a vineyard.” Israel is often referenced in the Bible as the vine God has planted and cultivated. This friend has put a lot of work into the vineyard. He has found a fertile hillside with great drainage; he has cleared the rocks and planted the best vines. He is so confident that his preparation is perfect that he builds a wine press. Disappointment comes; the crop fails. The problem is within the grapes. At the end, Isaiah reveals the real meaning: the vineyard represents God’s people and God is disappointed with the current state of affairs. The pride of the people has led to injustice, bloodshed and cries for help. Since there is a refusal to repent, the nation will have to experience deprivation, ruin and exile. How long will it take to place ourselves in these oracles and parables and realize God is talking to you and me?

While in prison, Paul writes a very upbeat letter to the Philippians. Even from his captivity, he is more concerned for that church community than himself. He feels joy in writing to them and prays that love among the members may grow more and more. But the path is difficult. So many people do not understand Christ, His life and death, and are expressing their anger and hatred. It is a struggle to become more like Jesus each day: It means changing one’s ways and attitudes. But it is a path that is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely and gracious. Paul tells us that the way to peace demands commitment to the ideal of the Gospel. This is the path to God’s total, unconditional love, and we will see Him face-to-face.

Jesus states right away that He is addressing this admonition to the chief priests and the elders. They have failed to recognize the His authority. They are set on seeking to destroy Him precisely because they do not recognize Him as the Son. They feel that they have all authority over God’s people. It’s what they decide, not what God wants. Jesus gives this allegorical version of salvation history: The vineyard represents Israel. The tenants are Israel’s leaders. The householder is God. The servants are Israel’s prophets, and the son Jesus. Matthew presumes that his community knows Isaiah’s “Song of the Vineyard.”  The tenants rebel and take over the vineyard as if it belongs to them, refusing to recognize the rights of the landowner who twice sends out servants to collect his produce. Then he sends his son (Jesus) and they kill him so they can acquire the inheritance, which suggests a desire to be the authority and owner.

The conflict is about the incompetent Jewish leaders who fail to carry out faithfulness to God’s plan. Jesus’ parable shows He is concerned about each person all the time, forever. Jesus continues helping us because He is unwilling to give up on us. He knows we can still bear fruit. We often  respond by running, avoiding, becoming defensive and thinking Jesus is referring to other people — not us … we’re OK. We also exclude ourselves by hanging on to old guilt and cynicism, believing that we are not good enough (perfectionism) or living on autopilot rather than with thanksgiving for God’s love. This parable shows God isn’t nice. We hear of death, destruction, the wrath of the landowners and handing the stewardship to another. We want and strive for “niceness” but there is no nice in the Bible. We see God’s mercy and love. We see God is kind. But God also wants justice. God intends for all to be treated right. Woe to those who do not.

So I reflect on:

• Sometimes people are hesitant to express emotions of love for another, even for a spouse or for one’s children. Do you experience such hesitancy, and if so, why?
• Do I sometimes equate failure with weakness? Was Jesus weak because He failed to win over the Pharisees, Sadducees and Jewish leaders?
• Reflecting on the love that I receive each day from expected and unexpected sources, is it hard to compare and conclude that the source is God? What blocks me from this?
  

Sacred Space 2020 states:

“The parable is clear. The tenants refuse to pay the rent. The rent collectors get beaten up. The landlord’s son is killed. The listeners understand that the story doesn’t end well for the tenants. Jesus develops the further point. The builders reject the very stone that will become the cornerstone.

“The account of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection was the original focus for the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This parable gives it to us in a nutshell. ‘This was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes.’ I may not have a landlord. But who is the lord of my life?”