Word to the Wise
Friday, March 9, 2012 - 2nd Week of Lent - Fri
[Gen 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a and Matt 21:33-43, 45-46]Therefore, I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit...
The parable of the vineyard and the tenants is a direct confrontation between Jesus and the religious authorities of his time. The chief priests were part of the temple aristocracy, and their very living was being threatened. The Pharisees were interpreting the law (not all of them) for their own profit. Jesus accuses them of a kind of spiritual embezzlement. He became a serious threat and their response would ultimately be a violent one, just as the parable predicts!
It is part of the paradox of Christianity that it can be an occasion of violence either because it threatens people outside of it or because some of its own followers become fanatics. The Catholic heritage of Christianity is rich and true but it is not meant to be a museum piece. It is a living heritage that does not require guard dogs, but faithful adherents. At the same time, those faithful believers should realize that their very fidelity will be a threat to either the fanatics or the secular authorities who see it as a threat to certain liberties. To be both firm and gentle in one's faith requires courage. This was true in Jesus' time and it is true in ours. AMEN
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