27^th Sunday in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: Isaiah 5:1-7: In Isaiah’s “Song of the Vineyard” because of their poor stewardship, God proposes to remove the privileges of Judah and Israel.

II Reading: Philippians 4:6-9: Paul urges the Philippians to aspire to all that is true, good, and beautiful, as revealed by God.

Gospel: Matthew 21:33-43.45-46: Jesus uses the imagery of Isaiah to tell a new parable about the coming rejection of the Son of Man and Son of God. This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him.

The Parable of the Wicket Tenants:

Israel’s Rejection of Jesus’ Messiahship, Mt 21:33-46

This is one of the most interesting parables ever told by Jesus Christ. It is interesting because it is both historical and predictive. Christ covered the history of Israel from God’s perspective, just as God sees it. Then he predicted or revealed exactly what was going to happen to Israel: they were going to reject God’s own Son and because of their rejection and cruelty, God was going to reject them by giving the kingdom of God to another people.

What is said throughout this passage is applicable to all nations as well as to Israel. God has entrusted the vineyard of the church and of the world to us, the new nation, the new creation of God. Every point covered in Israel’s history should, therefore, be a dynamic message speaking loudly and clearly to our hearts.

There are three major points in this passage.

1. The parable: Israel’s history as God sees it (v.33-41)

a.    God planted a vineyard (the nation of Israel)

b.    God entrusted his vineyard to the cultivators

c.     God sent messengers to gather the fruits

i.                Fruit was expected

ii.              The tenants rebelled and rejected God’s messengers

d.    God showed patience- He continued to send messengers

e.     God finally sent his Son

i.                Christ claimed to be God’s Son

ii.              They saw God’s Son

iii.            They plotted his death

iv.            They planned to seize his inheritance

v.              They murdered the Son

vi.            God is to judge the tenants

i.                God is coming

ii.              God will miserably destroy the wicked

iii.            God will trust his vineyard to others (to the Gentiles)

2. The three claims of Jesus (v.42-44)

a.    He is the head cornerstone

i.                At first, he is rejected

ii.              But he becomes the head cornerstone

b.    God shall take his kingdom away from Israel and give to other people

c.     Some are doomed

i.                Those who stumble over the stone

ii.              Those who oppose the stone

3. The result of the Parable

a.    The religionists saw that Christ spoke to them

b.    The religionists reacted instead of repenting

c.     The people saw Christ as a prophet (a great teacher), not as the Messiah

Thought: Jesus said, the kingdom of God is among you or within you. We are the tenants of the vineyard of God today. Each one of us is God’s field/vineyard; and so is our Christian community. Each one of us should question himself or herself: what sort of fruit have I yielded so far in life?? The fruits of mutual love and concern, justice, integrity, equality, or those of dissension and selfishness, jealousy, hatred, murders, killings, etc. what type of heart do I have? A tendered heart, a hatred heart, a forgiving heart, a revengeful heart, a productive heart, an unproductive heart, etc.

Jesus said to his disciples, “I am the vine and you are the branches….if you are cut off from me, you can do nothing” (Jn 15:1-5). Jesus Christ joins hands with us in all our works and undertakings. Let us remain with him by obeying his teachings and commandments of God and bearing good fruits in life.

The family and household of God (Eph 2:19; 5:1, 8; Rom 8:16-17; 1Pet 2:5-10)

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