 |
||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||
|
 |
|
||||||||||
|
|
|
||
 |
||||
|
TWENTY SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Isaiah 5:1‑7 1. The story of the Vineyard, is a popular song in the folklore of Isaiah’s day. More or less like “Old Macdonald had a farm.” It was sung at village festivals.
However, unlike the MacDonald’s Farm, the Vineyard Song had a twist in the tail. The last verse takes a common village song and makes it an indictment on the People of Israel for failing to live up to the
covenantal promises. However, this segment from Isaiah is read this Sunday mainly to introduce the theme of the Vineyard which we hear in the Gospel. 2. If you go to the Sistine Chapel in Rome, you will notice the Ceiling of the Chapel in brilliant colours which you would not have seen 20 years ago. Technicians have removed all the dirt and extra coverings so that you can see the original as Michael Angelo first painted it. The Parable of the Unworthy Tenants has also received several coatings and additions. Biblical Scholars tell us that the original Parable as Jesus told it was short and very simple. A Landlord has a Vineyard which he gives out to tenants. When the time comes for the harvesting, he sends one messenger and then another who are maltreated, because the Tenants want all the produce for themselves. Immigrants to Canada from the Caribbean, Sri Lanka and even the Philippines can relate to this. Instead of selling their house, they allow a distant cousin to stay there or a neighbour. When you go back for a visit and hope to collect the rent, you find that the Tenants have turned nasty, will not give you the money and challenge you to take them to court. They know you have to return to Canada and cannot be bothered with all the hassle. Jesus tells this story which is similar to two other unjust persons. The Unjust Judge who is pestered for justice by the widow. The judge says, I do not fear God or anyone else, but I will give this widow justice because she will wear me out. The other is the story of the Unjust Steward, who hears that his Master is returning and looking for an audit of the books. He calls on the debtors and doctors the books, changing the figures. Jesus gives all these three unjust people a back handed complement. He tells his hearers that these people who work for worldly values and passing treasures give us an example of stamina, cunning and hard work. We should use the same ingenuity for the Kingdom of God. When the Gospel was written several decades later, the Evangelist put a new spin on the Parable. He saw that the Vineyard could be compared to the Kingdom of God the Landlord could be a symbol of God the Tenants were the Scribes and Pharisees who failed in leadership the messengers were multiplied from single emissaries to many and they would stand for the prophets who were killed. they also added the “Son” who of course was a prototype for Jesus. Biblical Scholars tell us that the Evangelists were not wrong in making these additions for the sake of edifying their readers. We do it in our own time. How many of us have seen the “Wrath of God” in the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita which pretty well destroyed the cities in Louisiana and Alabama. Today as we celebrate the Eucharist, we can see the Vineyard as our parish. Just to the right of us, we have a rich harvest in St. James Town - so many parishioners within shouting distance of the Church. They are our responsibility and care. We as priests and laity need to “pasture them and give them repose. We need to seek the lost and abandoned, those nobody gives a second thought or second glance. But at times we are caught up in shoring up our institutions. We are challenged to enter into debate and talk about issues that affect us: burning questions like family life, marriage, unequal treatment of women, our carelessness about our eco system and global warming. We need to challenge the lies that are handed down by those in authority. Very few will still hold that there are still Weapons of Mass Destruction and the invasion of Iraq was really to topple Sadam Hussein. Only the Blind will not see Aggression, Greed, Violence and the Abuse of Power. However, like the Tenants in the Vineyard, we do not want to leave our Comfort Zone and hence we will attack the Messengers who bring us this news. Like the Prophet Amos who was challenged by the King, our prophets will be told not to keep Religion and State separate. Let me end with a story told by one of our Inner City School teachers. She was going to pick up a Video at Block Busters, when she noticed a thin, scrawny girl outside the store. It was a girl from her class. She was just going to approach her when she noticed the girl and her mother were selling crocheted toilet roll covers - to make ends meet. Here it was nine at night. And the teacher knew that the child had a ton of homework to complete. The teacher was outraged that this girl had to live in a world that dictated such harsh circumstances of life. She remembered a song by Alexandra Guzman.
Like the Teacher we probably cannot change the World Structures.. But we can give a Hand. We use the same effort, energy and resourcefulness
as the Tenants to hold on to the Vineyard - but we use it for the Kingdom of God. |
||||
