Worship Words, Cerezo Barredo 1998, 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

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Finally, [the owner of the vineyard] sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’      Matthew 21:37-38.

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If you glance back two Sundays, you will discover that this is the third parable in a row set in a vineyard! Make of that what you will. Clearly vineyards must have been a very common sight in the countryside in Jesus’ day and their familiarity became the leitmotiv, if you like, for Israel itself. It is thought that the vine represented the people, and the vine dressers the people in charge, namely the elders, scribes and pharisees and the owner was God. Jesus even identified himself as the vine in John 15. But this latest parable goes further than the others; the vineyard workers kill the owner’s son thinking they will inherit the vineyard. Barredo’s introductory picture above shows the full meaning of that thought. Here was another prediction of the Messiah’s fate. And look at the first reading from Isaiah, about a landowner doing all in his power to create the perfect vineyard, only to be disappointed with the result. And note that all his preparations were the same as in Jesus’ parable here. So it seems to be  the same vineyard… 

So the parable today is pretty grim, and is a predictor of things to come in the mission of Jesus. The second reading is a counter-balance to this depressing picture, drawing a picture of faithful people, avoiding anxiety by placing all that causes anxiety before God in faith and hope. “Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” St. Paul assures the Christians in Philippi. It seems to be the opposite of the thinking present in the parable’s vineyard workers, which is probably the point. Greed and power overwhelm the vineyard workers; resignation to and trust in the will of God is the dominant feeling encouraged in Philippi. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” Paul exhorts them. And more: “…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, think about these things”. I think Paul is writing this week’s reflection for me! The peace he wishes for his Christian converts seems to be the mirror opposite of the thinking in Jesus’ vineyard workers. Their thinking is dominated by greed and power. The resignation to God’s will of Paul’s followers brings on a profound peace. Paul does not say that their wishes will all be fulfilled or that they should just lay back and do nothing, just that if they, if we, obey God’s will to the utmost of our ability, then whatever happens we will accept all in peace. As he says, “then the God of peace will be with you”. 

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THANK YOU.

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