Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
The parable of the vineyard in today’s Gospel presents a microcosm of salvation history. It begins with intensive preparation on the part of God. God acts first. God moves first. God has carefully crafted and cultivated the vineyard of our created reality. On top of all God's painstaking preparations, we receive the gift of our own existence as a free and total gift from God who constantly sustains us in his infinite love at every moment.
But then the parable takes a bit of a turn. The tenants of the vineyard have no desire to cooperate with their master. When the master sent his servants, they beat one, stoned one, and killed another. When the master sent his own son, they plotted to steal his inheritance, and ultimately killed him as well. The Lord leaves us with a poignant question: what will the owner of the vineyard do when he comes?
Through the centuries, God has sent holy men and women to guide and correct us. They frequently were ignored, mistreated, or even killed. When God sent his Onlybegotten Son to Earth, we also put him to death. And so the Lord’s question remains: what will the Master do when he comes? Are we ready for him? Will each of us be ready to greet him when we finally see him face-to-face?