Readings: Isaiah 5:1–7; Psalm 80; Philippians 4:6–9; Matthew 21:33–43
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today, all the three readings speak to us through one powerful image: the vineyard. In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah tells us about a landowner who carefully prepares his vineyard. He clears the stones, plants the choicest vines, builds a watchtower, and prepares a winepress. He does everything necessary for the vineyard to flourish. Naturally, he expects good grapes. But when he comes looking for fruit, he finds only wild grapes. In the Gospel, Jesus uses almost the same image. A landowner plants a vineyard, surrounds it with a hedge, builds a winepress and a tower, and entrusts it to tenants. When harvest time comes, he sends servants to collect the fruit. But the tenants reject them, beat some, kill others, and finally kill the owner’s son. So, the question running through today’s readings is very simple: What are we doing with what God has entrusted to us?
The first thing the readings remind us of is that we belong to God. Isaiah makes this clear: the vineyard represents God’s people. God is not a distant owner who has planted us and forgotten us. He has cared for us. Think about our own lives. God has given us life. God has given us family and friends. God has given us talents and opportunities. God has given us his Word. God has given us the Church and the sacraments. God has given us countless opportunities to experience his love.
Everything we have is, in one way or another, a gift. The problem is that sometimes we begin to behave as though the vineyard belongs entirely to us. We say, “This is my life. I can do whatever I want.” But the Gospel reminds us that we are stewards, not owners. A steward asks: What does the Master want me to do with what he has given me? A Christian should regularly ask: What kind of fruit is my life producing?
God does not plant a vineyard simply to admire its leaves. He expects fruit. And what kind of fruit does God desire from us? Not merely religious appearances. We can come to Mass every Sunday, pray our prayers, carry religious objects, know many prayers and even speak about God—but God also wants to see the fruit of our faith in the way we live. Does our faith produce forgiveness? Does it produce patience? Does it produce honesty? Does it produce generosity? Does it produce compassion for the poor and suffering? Does it produce faithfulness in marriage and family life? Does it produce reconciliation when there is conflict? Does it produce kindness toward those who cannot give us anything in return? These are the grapes God is looking for. The responsorial psalm gives us a beautiful prayer: “Lord, take care of this vine.” That should also be our prayer: “Lord, take care of me. Prune what needs to be pruned. Remove what prevents me from bearing fruit. Give me a new life.”
The Gospel takes the message a step further. The tenants do not simply fail to produce fruit. They begin to act as though the vineyard belongs to them. The owner sends servants. They reject them. Finally, he sends his son, thinking, “They will respect my son.” But they kill him. Jesus is speaking prophetically about himself. The Son sent by the Father is Jesus himself. The religious leaders who hear the parable are being challenged to recognize what they are doing: refusing God’s messengers and ultimately rejecting God’s Son. But this Gospel is not only about people who lived two thousand years ago. It asks us a very personal question: How do I respond when God speaks to me? God speaks through Scripture. God speaks through the teaching of the Church. God speaks through people who lovingly correct us. God speaks through our conscience. God speaks through circumstances that challenge us to change. Sometimes we welcome God’s voice when it agrees with us. But when God’s Word challenges our habits, pride, selfishness or resentment, we may prefer not to listen. The danger is that we can become like the tenants: wanting God’s gifts without wanting God’s authority. We want the vineyard, but we don’t want to acknowledge the owner.
Jesus concludes the parable by referring to the stone rejected by the builders becoming the cornerstone. This points directly to Christ. Jesus is rejected, crucified and apparently defeated. Yet God raises him from the dead and makes him the foundation of salvation. This gives us an important lesson: What the world rejects, God can transform into the foundation of something new. Perhaps someone here feels rejected. Perhaps someone feels that his or her life has failed. Perhaps a family relationship has broken down. Perhaps someone has made serious mistakes and thinks, “There is no future for me.” The Gospel says: Do not give up. The rejected Christ is risen. And if we place our lives in his hands, he can bring new life even out of our failures.
Then St. Paul gives us something very practical. He says: “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” This is important because sometimes we know that we should bear good fruit, but we feel overwhelmed by life’s difficulties. Paul does not say that Christians will have no problems. Instead, he teaches us where to take our problems: Take them to God. When you are worried about your family, When you are worried about your children, When you are worried about your health, When you are facing financial difficulties, When you are struggling with a relationship, When you are uncertain about the future, we have to pray. Prayer does not mean that God will always give us exactly what we ask for. But Paul promises that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. And then Paul gives us another important instruction: think about what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely and worthy of praise. In other words, guard what you allow to grow inside your heart. A vineyard produces according to what has been planted and cultivated. Our hearts are similar. If we constantly cultivate anger, resentment, jealousy and hatred, those things will eventually produce fruit. But if we cultivate prayer, gratitude, forgiveness, truth and love, those things will also bear fruit.
My dear brothers and sisters, Today God places his vineyard into our hands once again. Our family is a vineyard. Our workplace is a vineyard. Our parish is a vineyard. Our community is a vineyard. And our own heart is a vineyard. God has planted much in us. He has given us more than we deserve. And he patiently waits for fruit. Let us therefore pray: “Lord, make my life fruitful.” Where there is hatred, let me produce love. Where there is resentment, let me produce forgiveness. Where there is selfishness, let me produce generosity. Where there is anxiety, let me produce trust through prayer. Where there is discouragement, let me produce hope. And where there is sin, let me return to your mercy. May we never forget that we are only stewards of the vineyard. And when the Master comes looking for fruit, may he find in our lives the fruit of faith, hope, love, justice, mercy and holiness. May Christ, the rejected stone who has become our cornerstone, be the foundation of our lives. Amen.