Mt 21: 33-43, 45-46
“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”
They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
A Team of Tenants
Jesus makes the best teammate. In post-game interviews, many team leaders first recognize the efforts of another player as the reason for success. Jesus does this by bringing attention to the importance of the tenants – we help tend the Kingdom. Even though this game was lost, a lesson is learned. He wants to acknowledge our actions and say – “see how great they’re doing?” not chastise us for selfishness.
When writing to Peter Favre on the Care in Writing Letters, St. Ignatius emphasizes quality correspondence saying, “Be assured that the time you spend at it…will be spent in our Lord.” At first glance, one might think he is exaggerating but really, he is being a good teammate. He is bringing attention to the importance of the tenants and the fact that the Society was more than just him.
Jesus wants to win with us. Do you believe you make a difference on the team?
—Brendan O’Kane is the Director of Ignatian Mission and Identity at Loyola Blakefield in Towson, MD.
Prayer
Loving God,
I cannot move an inch without Your love
You have given me all I have
All I will ever accomplish is because of You
For the times I think I am alone
Remind me
When I get overly puffed up with pride
Deflate me
I cannot move an inch without Your love
You have given me all I need
All I will ever accomplish will be with You
Amen
—Brendan O’Kane