Posted by The WORD in other words (2014) by Father Edwin Fernandez SVD – Divine Word College of Laoag
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time – A
Jesus’ parable of the tenants in the vineyard (Matthew 21:33-46) reveals how pride, greed, and the lust for power can become tremendous obstacles to the Kingdom of God. As Percy Bysshe Shelley once observed, “Power, like a desolating pestilence, pollutes whatever it touches.” When power is detached from humility and accountability before God, it often leads to corruption and injustice.
Jesus was fully aware that many of the religious authorities of His time, particularly some of the chief priests and elders, were failing to live what they publicly professed. Blinded by greed and self-interest, they misused the gifts and responsibilities God had entrusted to them. Instead of shepherding God’s people, they sought personal gain and prestige. Religion had become, for some, a means of securing influence and advantage rather than leading people to God. As Jesus lamented elsewhere: “They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them” (Matthew 23:4).
In the parable, the tenants refuse to give the owner the fruits that belong to him. They beat the servants and finally kill the owner’s son in an attempt to seize the inheritance for themselves. Through this story, Jesus exposes the tragic consequences of rejecting God’s messengers and ultimately rejecting God’s Son. He knew that the powerful often resort to violence when confronted with the truth. By speaking this parable, Jesus was placing Himself in danger, yet He preferred to proclaim the liberating truth rather than leave the authorities comfortable in their self-destructive deception.
He therefore warned them:
“The Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit” (Matthew 21:43).
The lesson remains relevant today. We are all stewards, not owners, of the gifts God has entrusted to us. Whether these gifts are material resources, talents, authority, influence, or opportunities, they are meant to bear fruit for God’s glory and the good of others. As St. Paul reminds us:
“What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).
We bear good fruit when we live not in the spirit of materialism and self-interest, but in gratitude and trust in God’s providence. We bear fruit when we seek justice, practice mercy, serve others, and place God’s will above our ambitions.
Putting aside the relentless pursuit of power, wealth, and recognition, let us strive to seek what pleases the Lord. As St. Paul exhorts the Philippians:
“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).
May we never forget that we are tenants in God’s vineyard, called to cultivate and return to Him the fruits of faith, hope, love, and service. And when the Lord comes seeking His harvest, may He find in us a rich abundance of fruit worthy of His Kingdom.
Prayer
Lord, You have entrusted us with many gifts. Keep us humble, faithful, and grateful stewards of Your blessings. Free us from pride, greed, and self-seeking ambition. Help us to bear the fruits of justice, mercy, and love, so that Your Kingdom may grow within us and through us. Amen.
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