The Gospel this week
is back in the now infamous Vineyard. This time Jesus tells us a
parable about the tenants who are running the place and trounce
the owner's representatives who come to collect the owner's share of the
produce. One was beaten, one was stoned, and another killed. Another group was
sent and were treated the same way. Finally the owner sent his son, believing
that, as things are meant to go, his son would be treated with all due respect.
But even the son was killed so the tenants could "get his
inheritance." [Mt 21:38b] At first glance, I can't help
wondering if some of these tenants had been the disgruntled workers of the
previous vineyard parable who worked longer hours for the same pay as
those who worked fewer.
At second glance, I feel as if I'm reading a
headline about a local, national, or even international situation. The violence
of sudden flash-mobs tearing up urban and suburban shopping areas in this
country. The epidemic of school shooting tragedies, murders based on racism,
gender identity, sexual orientation, and politically fueled rage. Too many
drivers act as if entitled to make the roads as perilous as sitting on a
railroad track with an oncoming train, and so much more. The headlines on air,
online, and in print tell us that “Life” is getting meaner by the
moment, as we watch here and abroad to see that, not unlike in Jesus'
own time, brutality is the tool of cowards who know no other way to
express the fear of their own impotence.
And then
there's the third glance, Jesus is giving a local lesson to the disciples about
what is happening then, what is to come, and the ever-watching
Pharisees unhappily get the picture about who's who and what's what in
this parable. And as they should ~ and do ~ know, God is pretty clear in
The Law about how we are to behave ourselves and toward one another.
In the first
reading, Isaiah opens with a love-song to his beloved and the vineyard with much of the
same description of preparation Jesus is using, imagine! In
this case, after all the work to dig, and clear, and plant, Isaiah says he expected it to yield grapes. Of course! However, it yielded wild grapes. After doing a little digging myself, there
are many sites online telling which wild grapes are edible and which are not.
Clearly, Beloved wasn’t happy with the results of his hard work. The vineyard is a reference to the House of Israel. The vine the Psalmist refers
to has failed the Lord’s expectations and despite all the work and planning for
it to flourish, it denied its roots. And just as clearly a parable as is the
one from Jesus, the audience of Isaiah knew as well as the Chief Priests and
Pharisees to whom Beloved was talking.
But Paul tells us
in Philippians: ...this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind
and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the
prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. [Philippians
3:13b-14] We may not be able to make the world less mean, but we can each add
more Christ-meaning to the world. And, we now have easier ways to meet our
grape expectations!
LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~ Beloved God, our Master Planter, we, Your humble tenants,
often lose sight of our temporal presence on this fragile Earth, our island
home. As we strive to accumulate more, our actions seem to show that we value
the gifts of Your hands ever less. Grant us the care and consciousness to
recognize our call to produce the good fruits of Your kingdom and give to others as You have
given to us.
O God of Hosts
RESPONSE:
Restore us, Receive us, and Confirm our Faith
~ Beloved God, our Master Planter, climate issues, war, violence
in our streets, and severe poverty all surround us. Let us raise our voices to
be heard in the halls of the political leaders in our world, our country, and
our community, for significant action on and for this planet and for all of
Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
O
God of Hosts
Restore
us, Receive us, and Confirm our Faith
~ Beloved God, our Master Planter, in Your mercy, enfold those
wracked with pain of disease, the anxiety of mental illness, and the throes of
addiction. Grant extra energy and compassion to all of their care-givers. We
pray especially for: add your own petitions
O
God of Hosts
Restore us, Receive us, and Confirm our Faith
~ Beloved God, our Master Planter, lighten the burden of those
whose hearts are heavy with grief. Give us the peace to replace dirges with
comfort in knowing that those we love are welcomed into the glory of You, our
Living, Loving God. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
O
God of Hosts
Restore us, Receive us, and Confirm our Faith
~ Beloved God, our Master Planter, we pause in
this moment to offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, silently
or aloud…
O God of Hosts
Restore us, Receive us, and Confirm our Faith
~ Beloved God, our Master Planter, our prayers ascend especially
for those ordained and steadfast in their life mission to help us find our way
to You. With Your grace and their prayer-filled guidance, we share this hope-filled
journey together. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
O God of Hosts
Restore us, Receive us, and Confirm our Faith
The Celebrant adds: O God in Christ Jesus, You are the Cornerstone of our life and
faith. Grant us the courage to live the life You have given us to live, by
working consciously and continuously in whatever ways we have, toward the
abundance in health and spirit for all. We make our humble supplication to the
Son who was slain yet lives again, and the Spirit who breathes holy life into
our souls, together with You, as one God, in the timelessness of Your Eternal Kingdom. Amen.
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