October 5, 2014: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

I feel like the commentaries I have come across on this weekend's readings gravitate toward talking about how we are the laborers in God's vineyard.

The readings certainly do speak of God's vineyard as the people of Israel.  But they were unfaithful to God, not producing the fruit He desired, even though He cared for them dearly.  The people of Israel in the time of Isaiah followed other gods, and the religious leaders in Jesus's day followed their own ideas about practicing religion, but not living it.

So, as a conclusion drawn from Jesus's parable in the Gospel reading, God gives His vineyard to others who will do the work in producing good fruit.  This fruit comes in the form of righteousness and virtues in the list St. Paul writes in the 2nd reading, which we do in our works of mercy and in our taking time to pray to receive God's peace.

We, as God's people of the Church in the New Covenant, are the new ones whom God has given the task of tending the vineyard.  In light of past failings, God is counting on us to bear fruit, confident we are capable.  For God has truly blessed us with the abilities to do His work, and the fruits we bear are our offering back to God.  We don't do it because God demands it, but because God loves us and earnestly wants us to be in relationship with Him and bear fruit for His glory.