Twenty Seventh Sunday, Ordinary Time Year A. Is. 5:1-7; Ps. 79:9, 12-16, 19-20; Phil. 4:6-9; Mt. 21:33-43. Theme: A People Chosen to Bear Fruit The parable of the homicidal vinedressers begins with an echo of the “vineyard song” of the first reading. Jesus refers to this song of the vineyard of the prophet Isaiah to illustrate the dealings of God with his People, as comprised in the history of salvation. The characters in the parable need to be identified: God is the landowner. The vineyard is the house of Israel. The slaves sent by the landowner are the prophets of Israel. The tenants are the leaders of Israel. The land owner’s son is Jesus Christ. The killing of the son is the Crucifixion of Jesus. The others who the vineyard is given are the Gentiles. Jesus uses this parable to illustrate to the apostles of the vineyard of the Lord. The Lord has done everything for the vineyard. He has planted choicest vines on the fertile hillside, with good exposure, he carefully hedged it to keep away trespassers and animals that might have damaged it. He hopes for the best. Just as the landowner gave the tenants a fully equipped vineyard in which to work and produce, God creates the possibilities for work, fruitfulness, and success for us too. He provides us with opportunities and resources and trusts that we will make the most of these resources and opportunities to be fruitful. Have we experienced the freedom and confidence that God gives us? Have we responded responsibly, or have we reacted similarly to the tenants at times? Eventually, God expected fruits from the vineyard of the house of Israel. Eventually, it yielded wild grapes. The same way God expects fruits form us. Just as a farmer expects fruits from the field he cultivated with care, so God expects fruits from us. If we do not bear fruits of grapes and bear wild grapes, it becomes bad for us. How much bitter fruits are to be found on earth today! We see it every day: war, hatred, injustice, every sort of evil. Let us not forget that injustice leads to desperation, desperation to violence, and violence to yet more violence. The chain continues! Bitter fruits that poison hearts and the whole human community. Where do they come from, if not from the refusal of God’s people to welcome the messengers of the Lord and especially his son Jesus Christ? It is possible to produce fruits of conversion and peace by opening our hearts to God’s love. Our fruits should be whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, and whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, whatever that shows excellence. Such fruit is worthy of praise. This is the pattern of life God wants from us. We must be faithful to our mission as stewards of God. Neither should we persecute, victimize, or dehumanize those whom the Lord has sent to us to announce of the Kingdom of God, for Jesus is the stone rejected by the builders that have become the cornerstone of our lives as Christians. May God help us to produce good fruits from the abundance of resources he has given us! Happy Sunday to Everyone. Fr. Deniskingsley