Jesus’ parable is a little different from the one in the first reading. Isaiah has the vineyard under good and faithful care, but still it produces wild grapes. In the Gospel, the vineyard presumably had a good harvest, but the workers refuse to give any of the grapes to the landowner. Where do I fit in?
Do I ignore all that God does to help me be a good disciple? Am I too busy to take time to pray or read the Bible? Do I hold onto grudges instead of forgiving and releasing them? Do I decline the invitations to go on a retreat? If any of these are true, I might be like the vineyard in the first reading, producing no fruit despite all the opportunities God has given me.
Or we may be the other side of the coin. We had our children baptized when they were babies. We gave them as good an example as we could, teaching them to love others and be generous with what they have. Yet they grew up and drifted away from the faith. Then we have to remember how patient God is with us, God’s people who don’t always produce the fruits of faith.
The tenants in the parable refer to those who would have Jesus crucified. God is patient with them. Look what happened to Saul, who persecuted many Christians before he became one himself. In our second reading he tells us to follow his example as he follows Christ. Then, he says, the peace of God will be with us, too (Philippians 4:6–9).
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications