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     "Where are my grapes?"  I have often asked that question at the beginning of a preaching on the gospel scripture for today.  Leadership of all kinds - power-holders - will be held accountable!  In the first scripture from Genesis, the older brothers sell Joseph into slavery.  They will ultimately face Joseph later in Egypt and discover he was a lot more merciful than they!  The vineyard tenants are not so fortunate.  In the  parable for today, it is the chief priests, elders and Pharisees who are the target.  Jesus warns them that they will be held accountable for their leadership.  Ultimately, the Roman empire crushed Jerusalem and destroyed the temple and the whole power structure of Judaism.  It would be revived under some Pharisee leaders in a different form without the temple.

     The question of accountability takes on a particularly strong flavor in matters of church leadership.  The sex abuse crisis, for example, continues to plague the church, although there are now structures, at least in the USA, to hold clergy and other church power holders accountable.  Other forms of tyranny and abuse of power exist on all levels.  Jesus constantly warned his disciples about this, insisting that the one who leads must be the servant of all, not the ruler.  Leadership requires prophetic courage - the ability to confront when necessary and encourage always to do better.   From Pope to pewperson, there has to be an ultimately answer to the owner of the vineyard's question:  "Where are my grapes?"  AMEN