27th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A
The parable of the evil tenants we heard today in our gospel reading from the gospel of Saint Matthew 21:33-43 sums up the life of the chief priests and elders of Israel during the time of Jesus. The punishment of leasing the vineyard to other tenants shows us that the kingdom of God has been granted to the Gentiles because the chief priests and elders have failed to take care of the Lord’s vineyard entrusted to them. In a nutshell, this parable emphasizes the patience, mercy, love and goodness of God to us as well as our wickedness and ingratitude to Him. This parable of the evil servants also reminds us that we have been entrusted with the duty of taking care of the Lord’s vineyard since we are part of the Gentile community and successors of the first gentile followers of Christ. Hence, it is our duty to take care of the Lord’s vineyard, that is the world we live in and it’s inhabitants.
My dear friends in Christ, are we taking care of the Lord’s vineyard today? Is the vineyard of God bearing good fruits today? Are we worst or better than the previous tenants as we heard in the gospel reading? Have we directly or indirectly destroyed the vineyard of God due to laziness, prejudice, lack of love, incompetence or pride? What fruit have we produced as Catholic Christians in the Lord’s vineyard today? Are we working honestly, devoutly and devotedly in the Lord’s vineyard? Are we producing the good fruit that is required of us? Since it is our duty to take care of the Lord’s vineyard, that is the world we live in, we need to pay attention to the words of Saint Paul to us today in the second reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians 4:6-9 which states "Brothers and sisters: Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you."
My dear brothers and sisters, it is time to start working for the Lord in his vineyard and bearing good fruit for our Lord. It is time to live out the gospel of Christ we have received, heard and seen. And it is time to be grateful and thankful to God for His patience, love and mercy to us. Amen!
