October 8th 2023. The Twenty-seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time
GOSPEL: Matthew 21, 33-43
Translated from a homily by Don Fabio Rosini broadcast on Vatican Radio
Don Fabio’s homily follows the Gospel
GOSPEL: Matthew 21, 33-43
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people :
‘Listen to another parable. There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard; he fenced it round, dug a winepress in it and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad. When vintage time drew near 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. Next he sent some more servants, this time a larger number, and they dealt with them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them. “They will respect my son” he said. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, “This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him and take over his inheritance.” So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ They answered, ‘He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will deliver the produce to him when the season arrives’.
Jesus said to them,
‘Have you never read in the scriptures:
It was the stone rejected by the builders
that became the keystone.
This was the Lord’s doing
and it is wonderful to see?
I tell you, then, that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.’
The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
1. The tone of this parable seems harsh. The Lord seems to be demanding fruits from us or very negative consequences will follow.
On the Twenty-seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Gospel presents us with the parable of the murderous vine-dressers. This narrative is both tragic and unsettling, as it tells a story of murder and mistreatment towards the servants of the master. While this parable may not be the first choice for joyous occasions like weddings, it still holds valuable lessons that deserve our careful consideration. In essence, this parable revolves around a master who generously equips a vineyard for cultivation. This echoes a passage from Isaiah, which we also find in the reading. In Isaiah's case, the vineyard produced bitter fruits due to its soil quality. However, Jesus shifts our attention to the farmers entrusted with the vineyard, who handle its fruits dishonestly and violently. While the tone in the New Testament often shifts away from such harshness, it remains present here, directed not towards a symbolic vineyard but at the criminal farmers themselves. So, what is the purpose of listening to such a story? We must ask ourselves if the Heavenly Father, who is the master in this parable, has the right to expect fruits from us. Does God have the right to inquire about how we are utilizing the life He has given us? Indeed, the Lord has every right to expect fruits from His entire Church, which represents His vineyard.
2. Does God request fruits from us? Yes! And the people around us have a right to fruits from us as well.
Before we answer, let's consider another question: does God genuinely come to request these fruits? The answer is yes. Numerous times in our lives, God knocks on our doors through those around us, asking us to bear fruit in various roles - as a man, a brother, a father, a Christian, or whatever our vocation may be. God is often concealed in the child seeking a loving relationship, or in an elderly sick relative who asks, "Is there room for love in your heart?" God has sowed so much in our lives - love, forgiveness, and acceptance. Love is sought by spouses, friends, and rightly so. People should find in a priest a man of God rather than a self-centred individual, and in a mother, an adult woman capable of tenderness. Those who seek these qualities in their priests or mothers have a valid reason to complain.
3. But bearing fruit is also important for us, because it is our greatest source of joy! In fact, living a selfish life, that takes rather than gives, leads to misery. God created us to love, to bear fruit. This alone brings fulfilment.
There are fruits that humanity rightfully expects from us. However, there are also the gifts from the master's vineyard, the holy people He has entrusted to us, and the mission given to us as Christians. The world looks to the Church to see if the love it professes is genuine or mere words. Therefore, it is crucial for us to contemplate the gravity of this text because bearing fruit is our greatest source of joy. In contrast, adopting a rapacious and self-centred attitude like the farmers in the parable leads to chaos. We are born to love, to bear fruit, and only the genuine love that comes from Christ can provide us with true joy. It is beautiful to bear fruit in life, especially when we reflect upon our existence at its conclusion. We will measure our lives by the love we have shown, the fruits we have borne, and how we have responded to the goodness we have received. Life, which is abundantly generous, seeks generosity in our hearts. We must recognize that we are meant to bear fruit, and within us lies much goodness and importance that should not go to waste. This message is especially relevant for today's young people who possess tremendous potential and goodness within them, even in aspects of their lives they may not fully understand. It's a tragedy when someone lives solely for self-satisfaction, as this leads to emptiness. True fulfilment comes from knowing how to give and respond to the good in our lives. While it is beautiful to be loved, it is far more beautiful to love. The prevailing depression and widespread sense of emptiness in today's society often stem from this self-centred orientation. True satisfaction comes from giving and responding to goodness. If being loved is beautiful, loving others is even more beautiful.
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