Fr. Ciza Donatien
In this Twenty-Seventh Sunday of the Year A, the readings, especially the first (Is:1-7) and the Gospel (Mt 21:33-43) speak about vineyard. We know what is a vineyard for the Jews. It is the first tree to be planted after the deluge (1Gn: 20-21). It is the sign of peace in the country since no one can plant a vineyard during troubles. “Thus Judah and Israel lived in security, every man under his vine or under his fig tree from Dan to Beer-Sheba, as long as Solomon lived” (1Kgs 5,5). “Every man shall sit under his own vine or under his own fig tree, undisturbed” (Mi4:4). It means the listeners of Jesus in the Gospel are understanding very well his parable since they know the value of a vineyard. Therefore, they will not hesitate to answer to the question of Jesus about the fate of “those wretches” tenants.
Then, after the parable of the two sons (the Gospel of last Sunday), Jesus said another to the chief priests and the elders of people. A man who planted his vineyard. He did every think to make his vineyard producing before he gave it to the tenants. So he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his servants, thrashed one, killed another and stoned a third. The owner of the vineyard is very patient, he sent a second group with more servants than the first. But the tenants did the same. Finally, he sent his own son thinking he would be respected. But they said to each other “This the heir. Come on, let us kill him and take over his inheritance”. And they did so.
In this parable the vineyard represents the Kingdom of God and the tenants, the people of Israel. That’s why Jesus ends his parable saying: “…the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit”.
Jesus is not condemning, but he is calling to the conversion. We know that Jesus is in Jerusalem and his passion is near. That’s why he is calling the chief of priests and the elders of people to the conversion! Yes, his words are severe, but are not a definitive judgement.
“it was the stone rejected by the builders that became the keystone”. The same thing happened to Joseph with his brothers:” come on, let us kill him and throw him into one of the cisterns here” (Gn 37,20), ignoring that he will be the one to save them in Egypt. Jesus is the stone rejected, but with his death and resurrection he has saved the world. All the tenants of the vineyard are included in the words of Jesus in the cross: “Father, forgive them because they do not know what they do”.
We are tenants forgiven. And it’s in this way we can understand the second reading: “There is no need to worry; but if there is anything you need, pray for it, asking God for it with prayer and thanksgiving, and that peace of God, which is so much greater than we can understand, will guard your hearts and your thoughts, in Christ Jesus”.
In this Twenty-Seventh Sunday of the Year A, the readings, especially the first (Is:1-7) and the Gospel (Mt 21:33-43) speak about vineyard. We know what is a vineyard for the Jews. It is the first tree to be planted after the deluge (1Gn: 20-21). It is the sign of peace in the country since no one can plant a vineyard during troubles. “Thus Judah and Israel lived in security, every man under his vine or under his fig tree from Dan to Beer-Sheba, as long as Solomon lived” (1Kgs 5,5). “Every man shall sit under his own vine or under his own fig tree, undisturbed” (Mi4:4). It means the listeners of Jesus in the Gospel are understanding very well his parable since they know the value of a vineyard. Therefore, they will not hesitate to answer to the question of Jesus about the fate of “those wretches” tenants.
Then, after the parable of the two sons (the Gospel of last Sunday), Jesus said another to the chief priests and the elders of people. A man who planted his vineyard. He did every think to make his vineyard producing before he gave it to the tenants. So he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his servants, thrashed one, killed another and stoned a third. The owner of the vineyard is very patient, he sent a second group with more servants than the first. But the tenants did the same. Finally, he sent his own son thinking he would be respected. But they said to each other “This the heir. Come on, let us kill him and take over his inheritance”. And they did so.
In this parable the vineyard represents the Kingdom of God and the tenants, the people of Israel. That’s why Jesus ends his parable saying: “…the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit”.
Jesus is not condemning, but he is calling to the conversion. We know that Jesus is in Jerusalem and his passion is near. That’s why he is calling the chief of priests and the elders of people to the conversion! Yes, his words are severe, but are not a definitive judgement.
“it was the stone rejected by the builders that became the keystone”. The same thing happened to Joseph with his brothers:” come on, let us kill him and throw him into one of the cisterns here” (Gn 37,20), ignoring that he will be the one to save them in Egypt. Jesus is the stone rejected, but with his death and resurrection he has saved the world. All the tenants of the vineyard are included in the words of Jesus in the cross: “Father, forgive them because they do not know what they do”.
We are tenants forgiven. And it’s in this way we can understand the second reading: “There is no need to worry; but if there is anything you need, pray for it, asking God for it with prayer and thanksgiving, and that peace of God, which is so much greater than we can understand, will guard your hearts and your thoughts, in Christ Jesus”.