Rejection

Oct 8: Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today we get a series of metaphorical vineyards. In the first reading and Psalm, the faithful are the crop; but in the Gospel, we’re the laborers. In both cases, though, we see that we come up short.

So today is really about rejection—are we rejecting God’s commands, and Jesus Himself? Or are we rejecting our own jealous impulses?

Reading 1

Is 5:1-7

Let me now sing of my friend, my friend's song concerning his vineyard. My friend had a vineyard on a fertile hillside; he spaded it, cleared it of stones, and planted the choicest vines; within it he built a watchtower, and hewed out a wine press. Then he looked for the crop of grapes, but what it yielded was wild grapes.

Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard: What more was there to do for my vineyard that I had not done? Why, when I looked for the crop of grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes? Now, I will let you know what I mean to do with my vineyard: take away its hedge, give it to grazing, break through its wall, let it be trampled! Yes, I will make it a ruin: it shall not be pruned or hoed, but overgrown with thorns and briers; I will command the clouds not to send rain upon it. The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his cherished plant; he looked for judgment, but see, bloodshed! for justice, but hark, the outcry!

Isaiah starts his story in a happy way, talking about the great land his friend owns, and all the work he’s put into it. Then he pulls the rug out from under the reader, telling us the vineyard had a bad yield. The context and structure makes it hard to not sympathize with Isaiah’s friend.

It’s only at this point that he reveals this is a metaphor. Isaiah isn’t talking about a friend, he’s talking about himself, and the vineyard is Israel. Sometimes you try your best to help people, and they just can’t be helped; they don’t want to be helped.

Or… the vineyard is us. We’re those people who can’t or don’t want to be helped. We want to be wild. This is a warning to us as much as Israel.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20

R. (Is 5:7a) The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
A vine from Egypt you transplanted;
you drove away the nations and planted it.
It put forth its foliage to the Sea,
its shoots as far as the River.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Why have you broken down its walls,
so that every passer-by plucks its fruit,
The boar from the forest lays it waste,
and the beasts of the field feed upon it?
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted,
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name.
O LORD, God of hosts, restore us;
if your face shine upon us, then we shall be saved.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Once again, the vineyard is Israel. God’s law can seem like walls, restricting us. But in fact, those walls are what protect us. Wild animals feast upon the vines without walls to keep them out.

Reading 2

Phil 4:6-9

Brothers and sisters: Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, 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. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Another wall around our vineyard is virtue—habitual and firm disposition to do the good. Here, Paul tells us to dwell not on the negative, but the positive. Keep focused on things that are pure, lovely, and excellent.

We tend to imitate what we see, and thus it’s a virtue to point our attention at good things and people, whether it’s the saints or Mary (through the rosary) or Jesus in the Eucharist. This focus helps us to not become the wild vine.

Alleluia

Cf. Jn 15:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I have chosen you from the world, says the Lord,
to go and bear fruit that will remain.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus chose us; let us not reject Him.

Gospel

Mt 21:33-43

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: "Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, 'They will respect my son.'

But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.' They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?"

They answered him, "He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times."

Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes? Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit."

Like Isaiah, Jesus tricks His listeners, telling them a story about wicked tenants, only to reveal that the chief priests and elders are the tenants.

At the time, Jesus was following Isaiah’s convention of likening Israel to a vineyard. It was the tenants’ job to care for the crop; but it wasn’t really theirs. When the true owner came, they rejected Him.

Any religious leader should be worried if they find themselves in this position, of course. But sometimes, it is us who reject Jesus. We ignore the prophets of old, and worse, reject Jesus’ teachings.

So, let’s take Paul’s advice, and turn toward the good. Think of the one who is excellent and worthy of praise—Jesus.