Word to the Wise
Sunday, October 8, 2023 - 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
[Isa 5:1-7; Phil 4:6-9; Matt 21:33-43]The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his cherished plant; he looked for judgment, but see, bloodshed! for justice, but hark, the outcry. [Isaiah] "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit." [Matthew]
The parable of the vineyard which Jesus addresses to the "chief priests and elders of the people" would ring a bell because they would be familiar with Isaiah's image of the vineyard. In the case of Isaiah's prophecy, the charge is laid against the whole people who have gone astray. Jesus applies the image to the leadership of the people which would include the temple leadership as well as the Sanhedrin, a kind of council of prominent Jews in Jerusalem. They will lose their place when Rome levels Jerusalem in 70 A.D.. By this time in the Gospel According to Matthew Jesus is in Jerusalem and has gone into the temple and "cleaned house." He has been confronted by the leadership in Jerusalem and the drama of Holy Week unfolds. In chapter 23, he will unload on another group of less formal but influential leadership, the Pharisees and scribes. In short, they have failed to produce the crop of grapes - the kingdom of God.
The question remains in our time. The Lord asks, "Where are my grapes?" The question comes to all of us, but especially to those who are in positions of power or authority. Whether the image is one of care for a vineyard or care for a flock or stewardship of a household (all images used by Jesus), there will be accountability for results. In chapter 24 of Matthew, Jesus uses the parable of the talents to confront leaders whose fear of accountability keeps them from bold leadership. We might look to the synod on synodality as step in that direction, even if there may be risk in it. Pope Francis has been criticized severely for challenging a "self-referential" and closed in attitude in the church. All of us are accountable for the grapes that are produced if we leave the crop untended for fear that we might fail. When the Lord asks, "Where are my grapes?" what answer can we give? AMEN