First Reading: Ezekiel 18:25-28
Psalm 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14
Second Reading: Philippians 2:1-11
Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32

The Lord’s Vineyard

“My son, go out and work today in the vineyard.” “I will” but he never went.  He said the same to his second son who responded “I will not” but changed his mind and went into the vineyard. 

The context of today’s parable is Tuesday of Holy Week. The place was the city of Jerusalem, in the outer precincts of the temple.  Jesus was addressing a group of scribes and the chief priests.  After presenting them with this parable, Jesus asked the crowd which of the two sons did what the father requested. Naturally they replied the second. Christ quickly added that the tax collectors and the prostitutes (the group most despised by Jewish society) were entering the kingdom of God before them - a truly shocking statement for them to hear! 

The application of this parable was very clear. The son who said he would obey his father, and then did not, represents many of the addressees - the chosen people, pledged to look for the coming of Christ. Their prophets and leaders throughout the Old Testament spoke about and prepared them for his coming. Abraham’s covenant with God was their promise, but their refusal to accept Christ when he did come was their refusal to go into the vineyard. 

The son who at first refused to go into the vineyard, and then repented and went, represents the Gentile nations. For centuries they were the lost souls. They were without God’s revelation or special help. They had nothing beyond the natural law of their consciences to guide them. The fact that they repented and finally went into the vineyard represents their future acceptance of Christ’s teaching. 

The scribes and the chief priests realized that they were exemplified by the first son, who did not obey.  One may say that the primary purpose of this parable is to show that true obedience consists in deeds rather than in words. One’s actions speak louder than - and are far more important than - the words one speaks.  Performance will far outweigh promises! 

Obedience is a necessary virtue. We all realize that it is necessary to have authority; without it there would be chaos and disorder. Yet, when someone in authority gives us a command that is difficult or distasteful, our natural reaction is to rebel against it. Here we must use the power of our will to do what we know is right, despite its difficulty.  We must obey. As Catholics we must ask our God for the actual grace to carry out the command.   We must not refuse, nor pass up these graces offered to us by Almighty God.  There is a limit on His generosity and the graces He gives us .The particular grace He is offering us now may never be offered again. Let us resolve to use these graces and to do so wisely. Let us accept the graces offered by God whenever they are presented to us.  

For it is only by working in the vineyard of the Lord that we can hope for salvation.   

Fr.Raphael J. Iannone is an ordained minister in the Capuchin Franciscan Order. He is in residence at St. Joseph’s Parish, New Paltz, New York. He assists in the parish on occasions and is the Provincial Manager of several properties for the Order.