October 3rd, 1999 |
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27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mt. 21/33-43 |
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| Background: Today St. Mt turns from parables of reassurance to parables of urgency. God's kingdom is compassionate, reconciling love. It is offered to everyone. We are urged to grab it when we can. If through stupidity and ingratitude we reject the gift we are fools, just like the ungrateful men in Jesus's adaptation of the traditional vineyard story. Many of those who heard the twist Jesus puts on the story must have been astonished. They had always thought of themselves as the protectors of God's vineyard or perhaps even the vineyard itself. There may well be a touch of the early conflict between synagogue and church in the way Mt tells the story, but there is no reason to doubt that the parable itself reflects the teaching of Jesus. |
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Story: Once upon a time there was a young contractor who had imagination and energy and charm. He designed a new house for a couple who had just married. They wanted four bedrooms, four baths (naturally) two offices, a family room, a living room and a dining room - and a basement play room. An architect had come up with a wonderful plan that was wayabove the means of the young couple. The contractor who was there age and a good friend, promised that he could build them a house with the same features for half the price. They loved the plan and were impressed with cost saving innovations. They bought the land. The contractor promised to begin construction in the autumn and finish the house by late spring. Unfortunately he was not quite able to meet the schedule. There were delays in shipping the material, some of his workers quit, winter came early. He promised he would begin in the spring. But by spring he was several different projects and he was stretched thin in his time and his money. All he manged to do was dig a hole in the ground The home would be finished by autumn he swore to them. But somehow he never got beyond the hole in the ground. He came back the next spring and promised that he would begin work immediately after the Fourth of July. They were now expecting their first child. Forget it, they said. We have another contractor. He'll cost us a lot more, but there's a performance clause in his contract. We want the house for our child |
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