In our first reading today Isaiah writes of his friend who “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 hew out a wine press.” He did all the right things from choosing the land and the choicest vines to the way he worked the soil.

Then he waited. He waited for the harvest. He expected a good harvest as well he should from what he had done.

However, when harvest time came the only thing his vineyard “yielded was wild grapes.” He was disappointed. He asked, “What more was there to do for my vineyard that I had not done?”

The problem with wild grapes is that they grow vines all over but then produce no grapes because all the nutrients they have absorbed from the ground go into spreading the vines and nothing is left to grow grapes.

Of course, this story is told to tell us something about God. God created the earth and everything that is good. Then He gave us dominion over all of creation. What is our response to what God has given us?

Do we bear good fruit or are do we choose a “wild” life? The wild life may seem fun. It may provide us with momentary pleasure but it does not bring us lasting joy. The pleasure of the wild life is short-lived.

What is needed with wild grapes is pruning. So, it is with our lives. We need God to prune as. We need to ask God to prune our lives such that we will no longer turn away from him to sin. It is God who can save us for eternal life.

God does not force his ways upon us. We are free to choose. However, we must realize that if we choose to turn away from God to sin, there are consequences to our sins. God leaves us to suffer those consequences, that is, unless we repent. In fact, God teaches us his commandments to keep us from suffering those consequences.

Jesus tells a similar story about a landowner and his vineyard in today’s gospel. Here, as in the first reading, the owner does everything he should to establish a vineyard. In this story he then rents it to tenants. They will work the crops. When harvest time comes, the owner will collect some of the produce as payment of their rent. They would keep the rest. This was a standard practice of the day and there was nothing wrong with it.

However, the tenants became greedy. They decided they wanted the whole harvest for themselves. So, when the owner sent his servants to collect the proper rent, they beat one of the servants, “another they killed, and a third they stoned.” They went so far as to kill the owner’s son so that they would inherit everything. Their greed took over.

Again, the owner is an image of God. God has given us dominion over everything. In response, God wants us to bear good fruit. God sent many prophets but many of the people would not listen to the prophets. They persecuted, even killed some of the prophets. Ultimately, it was some of the Jews who would have Jesus killed.

Have you accepted what God has taught? Do you listen to what the prophets teach us from God? Or you choose to ignore what God says to you today through the teachings of our Catholic faith? Are you or are you not living as Christ calls us? He is the way and the truth and the life. Follow him.

Ask yourself, “Have I killed Jesus?”

Does this sound extreme to you? Have you killed Jesus? Think about it. Why did Jesus die? He died for our sins.. So, when we sin we have a hand in killing Jesus but do not be afraid.

Jesus willingly gave his life on the Cross to save you. The only thing He asks in return is that you follow him in the way you live your life.

Sometimes we feel anxiety. We don’t want to feel that way. We look for what brings us happiness. Unfortunately, sometimes we too often turn to earthly pleasures for that happiness but it does not last. Confess your sins and turn your anxieties over to Jesus. “Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.“

It is not enough to show up at church once in a while and expect everything to be fine. If we seek the salvation that God offers us then we must heed the words of Paul, “Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.” God’s peace comes in living, in doing his will.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff