The key idea during this weekend’s liturgical celebration is that God cares for all of us with boundless patience and love, as much as He looks out for us to bear the rightful fruit of justice and grace.
We find this overriding theme prominent in both the first reading from Isaiah (5:1-7) and Matthew (21:33-43). The image of the vineyard in both readings reveals a God who provides everything needed for a bountiful harvest, including, as portrayed in both readings, the clearing of the stones and building a hedge of protection. Unfortunately, while the landowner in Isaiah finds only wild grapes of social injustice, the wicked tenants in Jesus’ parable reject the servants and even the owner’s son.
On this 27th Sunday, the Church invites you and me to examine our hearts and ask what kind of fruit our daily actions are yielding for the kingdom of God and our communities. While we have heard stories of individuals who hoarded their talents or treasures, we also know about some who turned a blind eye to the needs of others. During these times, the Church summons us to cooperate faithfully with God’s grace and stand as generous co-workers of God in His world.
What stands out clearly to me in all these conversations is for folks to let go of entitlement and embrace their roles as humble tenants, transforming themselves and their communities, to guide everything back into the harmony we believe God has designed for everyone from Day One. And it is this last point that my mind tells me informed why St. Paul, in the second reading (Philippians 4:6-9), urges that “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise,” that we not only think about them, but that we move to accomplish them.
