In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
Notice, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the care and attention the householder in today’s Gospel has for building the vineyard; he planted it, set a hedge around it, dug a winepress and built a watchtower. All was present, all was ordered, that the tenants may be successful in producing wine. And we see here clearly the tenants to be the Judeans and the householder to be God. They had been given everything, theirs was only to tend the vineyard and make wine, and need only have acknowledged its ownership by God. The servants who were sent were the prophets—who were beaten, killed and stoned—and finally the Son whom they put to death. Ultimately God would come and “put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” And we see ourselves as the other tenants, good tenants, who will come and honour God.
This parable was given in the Temple during the first days of Great and Holy Week. The Triumphant Entry, Palm Sunday, has happened and the Lord is demonstrating his knowledge of what will come to pass: that he will be put to death. But, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we easily overlook what is being said as directed at the leaders of the Jews who reject Christ and scandalise the people, who abuse the seat of Moses and by the favour given them by the Romans they abuse the people.
But, in reality, this parable is directed at me: I am the bad tenant. The Lord has planted the vine that I may tend to it and taste of immortality, he has planted a hedge around, the Church, that I may stay close to eternal Life and has set the watchtower of the Fathers to keep me safe. And the Lord has sent servants to me, that I may send his fruit, and I have beaten them, killed them and stoned them. Because I want to claim the fruit of my labours as my own, even though God planted the vine and created the vineyard, and not offer them to God. And on the horizon I see the Son coming towards me, with gentleness and peace, and I am at a crisis. Will I continue on the path to oblivion or will I repent? Will I believe that all the good things around me are the result of my labours or part of the bounty of God with which to bless him?
And when the Son stands before you, looking upon you with love and compassion, what will be your response? Will you look to offer what you have to him as his or will you justify holding on to your fruits as the results of your own labour? Will you repent or will you, once again, crucify the King of Glory?
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, all that we have, all for which we have laboured, is the result of the blessings of God and we must offer it to him and for his glory. And if we do this, if we return to God the blessings we have received, he will rejoice that we stay close to the vine and receive eternal Life.
To our risen and glorified Saviour Jesus Christ be all might, dominion and power, together with his unoriginate Father and the All-holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit. Amen.
Brethren, be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. Now, brethren, you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints; I urge you to be subject to such men and to every fellow worker and labourer. I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicos, because they have made up for your absence; for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such men. The churches of Asia send greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. All the brethren send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. If any one has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
— First Corinthians 16:13–24
The Lord said this parable, “There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them. Afterward he sent his son to them, saying ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?'”
— Matthew 21:33–42