The Gospel reading appointed for this weekend shares the Parable of the Tenants. Although the parable is not   obscure in Mark’s Gospel, Matthew somewhat expands it in order to make the point entirely clear. The description of the vineyard is given in words that closely echo Isaiah 5:2 where the vineyard symbolizes Israel.

The parable of Jesus has allegorical features. The owner is an absentee landlord and in the New Testament world such disputes between landlords and tenants were not unknown.

The allegorical significance of the son is not clear. No Old Testament figure can be intended nor the death of John the Baptizer. It seems quite unlikely Jesus would have made Himself a character in His parable.

Some scholars have suggested that the early Church expanded it to refer to what happened to Jesus. Most modern commentators do not favor this opinion in spite of the allegorical elements in the parable.

So what message can we glean from the parable that can help us to embrace the WAY of Jesus?

Perhaps the ending of the parable gives us a clue. Jesus asks those to whom He told the parable: What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to those tenants? Of course the reply was: He will bring that wicked crowd to a bad end and lease his vineyard out to others.

The Church, that is we who believe in Jesus Christ, have been given charge of God’s vineyard, that is our lives. They are only leased to us and belong to Him. Our human lives have been designed to produce a good harvest, God’s Kingdom on earth. The fruit that is to be harvested is unconditional love.

Now, what, do you think will happen if we do not produce such a harvest for our God? We will come to a bad end. We will not, during this lifetime, come to a deeper union with our God. If we do not work to enhance and make more real His Kingdom right now, we are the ones who will lose.

Life, which brings with it the very Spirit of God, is given to us as a gift so that we might grow and become all that God conceived when He willed that we come into existence. It is our great loss if we do not do all within our power and ability to bring about His Kingdom right now. He gives us the gift and the power.

How we use these gifts is up to us!