The Gospel Reading for Sunday of Proper 22: Year A
Jesus said, “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country.” (Matthew 21:33)
In some circles God is referred to as the Great Architect of the Universe, the One who both Creates and Maintains all creation.
We are the tenants of this earth today. The Creator has done (and is doing) everything for us already. All we have to do is monitor it and keep it in ecological and spiritual balance with the rest of nature on earth. God, like the owner of the vineyard, has fashioned the universe with this earth our island home with everything we need to sustain ourselves. And has given us the necessary wisdom to use the resources of our environment for our protection, comfort and nourishment.
Jesus told this parable against the chief priests and the Pharisees by saying that the Hebrew people tried to hijack what is rightfully God’s. These religious leaders began to put themselves in the place of God and putting their own needs and desires ahead of God’s will for all people.
I have come to believe that God, the owner of the vineyard is looking for the fruit of humanitarian harmony amongst us. When God comes to collect, God wants to know that creation is in good hands and the primary fruit of the harvest is the love and respect we have for one another.
God has built a vineyard of faith whereby we may grow the fruits of love for God, and for one another. It is so important for us to understand that we are tenants here on this fragile earth, our island home and in this our present earthly life. The Owner of this vineyard is coming to see what we have grown faithfully and harmoniously with one another.
Will our children have faith? Will we live in harmony? Harmony then, is the real fruit that God will be looking for. If we live our lives fully believing that we are not the owner of anything, including our own borrowed lives, then we will begin to see the value of living for the health and welfare of other borrowed lives as well. We are renters even of our own lives. Let us then do the best we can with what we have and assist others in doing the same with theirs.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray: Proper 22 The Sunday closest to October 5 (BCP p. 234)
Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
