27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Friends,

In today’s Gospel Jesus continues his parabolic dialogue with the Scribes and Pharisees by telling a story of a landowner and his vineyard. The way Jesus begins the parable would have drawn their attention to one of the more well-known passages from Isaiah, called by a beautiful name: The Song of the Vineyard. The parallels are obvious. Both tell of a landowner who diligently and lovingly builds and cares for his vineyard.

“...on a fertile hillside; he spaded it, cleared it of stones, and planted the choicest vines; within it he built a watchtower, and hewed out a wine press.” (Isaiah 5:1-2)

Unfortunately, this well-cared-for vineyard did not produce good fruit, but rather “wild grapes,” understood in Hebrew as sour or worthless grapes. Isaiah explains the meaning several verses later: “The vineyard... is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his cherished plant; he looked for [right] judgment, but see, bloodshed, for justice, but hark, the outcry!”

With this background, the Scribes and Pharisees hear this new rendition of The Song of the Vineyard, with a particular focus on the leaders of the house of Israel with whom Jesus was speaking—leaders who too often sought their own gain instead of caring for the good of the vineyard they were called to steward.

What I find most interesting is their response. Either they were unfamiliar with Jesus’ connection to Isaiah’s vineyard (which I find unlikely) or they were completely blind to how they themselves fit into the parable. When asked what should be done to the wicked stewards who beat and killed the servants and the son sent by the landowner, they reply that he should “put those wretched men to a wretched death.” They unknowingly pronounce judgment upon themselves.

But what is most shocking (and unspeakably beautiful) is God’s response to these “wretched men.” Instead of giving them the fate they deserved—a fate from which none of us can separate ourselves—Christ willingly takes this fate upon himself, redeeming and reversing our choice of self over God through his choice of love and sacrifice over self, through his death, which gives us and the whole Church life!

“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone: by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes!”

Fr. Michael Gokie
Parochial Vicar