They are the vineyard.

A newly ordained deacon was preparing a homily that he would preach on the Sunday after his ordination. He reflected deeply on the words of the gospel reading for that weekend. The reading was Matthew 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."

As the deacon reflected on the reading, he asked God what he wanted the people to know. A peace came over him and a voice in his subconscious said, “They are the vineyard.” He was taken aback. Again, the voice said, “They are the vineyard.”

The deacon read the gospel again and became very much afraid.

The Holy Spirit’s prompting was not what God wanted the people to hear. It was what God wanted the deacon to hear. It was both a reminder and a warning to him that the people who he would preach, teach, and minister to throughout his time as deacon were God’s vineyard.

Every person is made in the image and likeness of God. God brings every person out of his mind and into this world because he wants to give them the opportunity to live with him in heaven. Every person is instilled with dignity because God loves them as if they were they only person in existence. God calls men to Holy Orders to provide servants to the people to help them along their way. We are to make God’s love and the Church he created available to these people in a special way. We are given sacramental graces to strengthen us in our ministries. To those whom much is given, much is expected.

And that is what now filled the young deacon with fear. In the gospel reading, the first tenants who were put in charge of the vineyard viewed the vineyard as their own possession. Something they were to profit from and not care for. When they failed in their responsibilities the vineyard was taken from them, given to others to care for, and they were put to death. The clergy today have inherited God’s vineyard. We are to give it a shepherd’s care. We are to die for it if necessary.

They are the vineyard. They are the ones we were ordained to serve. We are to water them, nourish them, cultivate the soil around them, and yes, when required, to prune them. We do this in the hope that they will bear much fruit for the master when he returns.

Heavenly Father,

Send your Holy Spirit to inspire and guide us to always be holy men who serve your people with humility, joy, and love. Guide us in all we say and do. Guide our thoughts to always be centered on you. Guide our steps to always walk a righteous path. Guide our words to always be full of your love. And guide the work of our hands so that they always give you praise for your great glory. Use us as lanterns to carry the light of your love to those still in darkness and when they look upon that light may they see only you through us.

Amen.

Evangelizing Worldwide

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