21 March 2025 - Friday of the 2nd week in Lent
Gen 37, 3-4. 12-13. 17-28; Mat 21, 33-43. 45-46
Homily
The two readings for this Mass speak of violence. In the Old Testament reading, eleven of the twelve patriarchs of Israel commit violence against their brothers. In the parable, Jesus speaks of the violence committed against Him by the chief priests and the elders of the people. In both cases, God was able to draw salvation from man's sin.
Jesus is not interested in punishing the perpetrators of violence. He is simply interested in seeing His Church bear fruit. When, after telling the parable, He asks the question: 'When the master of the vineyard comes, what will He do to these vinedressers? His listeners replied: "Those wretches, He will make them perish miserably. He will rent out the vineyard to other vinedressers who will give him the produce in due course." In his reaction to their reply, Jesus retained only the second part of the answer: “He will rent out the vineyard to other vinedressers who will give Him the produce in due course”. Jesus is not interested in punishment and even less in revenge.
There is no question here of the Kingdom being taken from the Jews as a punishment to be given to the Gentiles, as a superficial reading might lead us to believe. In fact, the House of God is and remains the chosen people -- to whom the nations have been added. This parable is really about shepherds; and, of course, there is a stern lesson here for anyone who exercises a ministry in the Church. All ministry is at the service of the people and must never be used for personal gratification.
But what comes up most often in this parable is the need to bear fruit. There are five references to fruit. And this must be a concern for each and every one of us. We did not receive the Gospel message simply for our personal satisfaction or even for our personal salvation. We received it to bear fruit - fruit of justice and righteousness. We are all Church together; and the Church does not exist for itself, but for the world. Let us ask ourselves, in our hearts, if our way of living the Gospel is really contributing to the establishment of a world where there is less violence and more justice and love.
Armand Veilleux