27th Sunday of the Year (A)

(Edited) Sunday reflections: (From) years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

October 5, 2014
Isaiah 5:1-7
Psalm 80
Philippians 4:6-9
Matthew 21:33-43

"He sent his son but the tenants killed him."

The parable of the wicked tenants. There are two parables in the gospel of Matthew which precede this parable. Those parables are the parable of the two sons (Mt 21:28-32), and the parable of the wedding banquet (Mt 22:1-14). Reading these three parables, the reader can discover a common pattern of protagonist pairing - that of the father and the son. This father-son theme runs throughout the three parables: father and second-son (or first-son, depending on your New Testament translation) in the first parable; father-landowner and son-who-inherits in the second parable; and father-king and son-bridegroom in the third parable. What is strongly emphasized in these father-son protagonist pairs is the will of the father on the son.

Focusing now on the parable of the wicked tenants, and seeking other references in Bishop Fulton Sheen's book "Life of Christ", Bishop Sheen says that God (here symbolized in the parable as the father and landowner of the vineyard), was not wearied out with the cruelty and evil of the people (the tenants). By sending repeatedly other servants, after the previous group of servants was violently treated, God was giving the wicked people an opportunity to repent of their previous evil action. Therefore, the will of God was to bring those people to obey His will. When the last group of His servants was still cruelly treated, God finally sent His Son. But the evil people, still steeped in their wickedness, mercilessly killed the Son.

With just this simple parable, Jesus gave His hearers a glimpse of the whole history of salvation. God sent many prophets to His people to warn them of their wicked ways, but His people killed these prophets. The people Israel continued to be steeped in their evil. So God sent His Son that people may know His will and obey it for their own good. (The gospel reveals the analogy). Still steeped in sins, a generation of Israelites nailed Jesus, His Son, to the Cross, and killed Him. The Lord however vindicated His Son. He raised Jesus from the dead, through the power of the Holy Spirit, and made Him the keystone of the Church. The Church now continues the work of the Lord to bring all humanity to repent, amend their lives and obey God's will.

Scripture quotes for reflection:
"The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his cherished plant." (Isaiah 5)