Perhaps any well-meaning parent or educator
could relate with what the readings in today’s Sunday liturgy bring us. We are
brought to consider one again—as in last week, with the parable of the two
sons—the figure of the vineyard. The prophet Isaiah in the First Reading
presents the oracle of the master of a certain vineyard, of how the owner did
everything within his expertise and the agricultural technology of those times
to make it come up with good grapes during harvest time. Everything pointed to
the expectation that a good harvest was in store: it was situated on a fertile
hillside; the choicest vines were planted, and the owner did other things in
anticipation of the harvest, on that never materialized. Considering all the
effort exerted by the owner of the vineyard, one could only imagine the sense
of frustration that he felt, very much like good parents and educators who have
invested a lot in their children’s education with high hopes and expectations,
only to be thwarted. One could very well understand the cry of the owner and
even sympathize with him: What more was
there to do for my vineyard that I had not done?
The oracle is actually an allegory, and this is
partly explained in the Responsorial Psalm, which identifies the vineyard as
the house of Israel. More than once would Israel would likened to a vineyard in
the Scriptures; in this case Israel’s history of infidelity and stubbornness is
mad clear. One would suppose that being God’s very own people and His own house
the Israelites would have strived to live up to the holiness of the One whom
they have called their Lord and God. But the history of Israel is one of almost
constant infidelity to the covenant made between her and God, a God who has
provided everything that she may be faithful to him.
This story of God’s faithfulness and His
providence, and man’s infidelity is once again made clear in the Gospel by our
Lord in his parable of the evil tenants, who despite repeated attempts chose
not to listen to the messengers their master sent them, and even chose to kill
the master’s son, sent to them in one last attempt to obtain the produce that
was rightfully his. This is a passage that is rich in meaning, since it also
allows us to consider that Jesus was actually referring to his identity and his
mission.
One thing that we could get from our meditation
in the Word of the Lord this Sunday is the fact that the Lord has given us all
of the graces that we need in order to be closer to him and to be faithful to
him. Above all things, what God wants from us is that we be closer to him, that
we be saved, that we be holy, which is what St. Paul meant when he mentioned
that the will of God was our sanctification (cfr. Col.). God may have chose not
to give us that something that we thought we needed badly, but then He would
never refuse anything that would greatly aid in our sanctification. We are
called to be holy, and though it may seem to be a very high goal, especially
considering our own defects and weaknesses, the truth is that it’s not
impossible. It isn’t considering for one part that God has placed all of the
means that we need in order to attain this goal in our life. In the first place
he has given us of Himself, in the very person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our
Lord has granted us the gift of His Church, the pillar of truth and the
sacrament of salvation, sanctified by the presence of the Holy Spirit. We have
the sacraments, especially that of Reconciliation and the Eucharist. We have
the experience and the example of the saints, who continue to intercede for us
in heaven. The example of the lives that they have lived is evidence and an
impulse for us, showing us that holiness is never outside of our reach, that
all of us are called to respond to the universal call to holiness, each in his
or her particular situation in life. This is something central to the teaching
of Opus Dei, which celebrates the anniversary of its foundation today.
“Finally
my dear brethren, whatever is true, honorable, whatever is just, whatever is
pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is anything worthy of
praise, think about these things…”
The letter of Paul to the Philippians reminds us that we do not lack these
things, these means in our life. We have them, and they are a great help in our
growth in holiness of life. Let us therefore ask ourselves about the quality of
our response to the Christian call that we have received in baptism: are we
really striving to grow in holiness, given the grace of God and our own
cooperation and goodwill? Do we take advantage of the means that the Lord has
placed at our disposal, so that we may be holy as our Father in Heaven?
May we be fertile vineyards that will yield
that harvest of holiness that the Master will demand from us when our time
comes. Amen.
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