4th October 2020. 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mt 21, 33-43
These are the days before the Passion, and the confrontations between Jesus and the religious authorities of Israel, the Chosen People, continue, and will end with the death of Jesus. In the parable, Jesus says that the workers not only do not give the owner his share of the profits, but they mistreat and beat his messengers and even kill his son in order to keep the vineyard. The religious authorities knew the Scriptures (1st reading, from Isaiah), but they did not take them for granted. They continue to believe they are the good ones, the dutiful ones. And when Jesus asks them what is to be done with these farmers, they give the answer. And Jesus reproaches them: “the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruits”.
When we read the parable, “unthinkingly” we “remain outside” as if it were not for us. But this is very comfortable. The message and the reproach are also for us. The Church is also the Lord’s vineyard and everyone is a worker in it (last Sunday). Each of us has been given some gifts in our lives, which should bear the corresponding fruits. What harvest can the Lord expect from us? Will he need to complain about our poor fruits? In the first reading he tells us: “I expected right and you gave violence, justice and I hear only lamentation”. Our fruits must be in line with charity and justice.
Juan Ramón Gómez Pascual, cmf