Landowners Master Plan for the Vineyard

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

27th Week – Sunday

Gospel – Luke 21:33-46 

Landowners Master Plan for the Vineyard

1) Masters offer, a full pledged Vineyard / Details of the Vineyard

When the Land Lord offered the Vineyard to the tenants, he prepared everything and gave them

He put a fence around it – it is necessary for protection

He dug a wine press in it – it is necessary to reap the fruit

He also built a tower – it is necessary for watching and safeguarding the vineyard

He also arranged all other facilities, necessary to get the best fruit from the vineyard.

2) The work of the Tenants

Just look after the well-furnished vineyard and get the best benefits from it and hand over to the Master

They had no other difficulties of establishing anything else in the vineyard to prepare the vineyard for the yield, because the master had already done what was necessary.

In other words it was a readymade vineyard which was given to the tenants to look after it and to get the best out of it.

The tenants had to maintain it and do their work sincerely to reap the best fruit from the vineyard

They had no other challenges of problems in making the vineyard to produce fruits.

3) But the actual result was shocking – the foolishness of the tenants

In spite of giving everything to tenants, they did not make use of the opportunities to get the best result out of it.

They were busy in calculating their own little interest and taking advantage of it

They were not ready to follow master’s instructions and the conditions of the contract

They not only failed to give the best results from the vineyard, but they even tried to take away the vineyard from the master. This is the height of their hypocrisy and foolishness

The stupidity of the tenants is seen in killing the landowner’s Son. This is stupidity because any father would not allow the persons who ill-treat their children. And here in this context he was a powerful landowner, who after losing his son, will he keep quiet.

The tenants did not have even a little common sense to reflect about the power of the Land owner and their inability to fight with the landowner.   

This stupidity destroys them completely

4) Our life is exactly equal to this vineyard

God gives us the best furnished human life with all the necessary qualities to live our life in an effective way.

He put a fence around it – All the five senses – they are necessary for protection and we use them for protection

He dug a wine press in it – The heart and mind - both these faculties are necessary to reap the fruit

He also built a tower – conscience - Morality – the aspect of Morality - it is necessary for watching and safeguarding the vineyard

It is a Master planned life by the creator given to us by the creator

Our mission is to take care of this vineyard i.e.  our very human life itself and to bring out the best results and offer them to God.

5) The End result

First of all the tenants failed to take care of the vineyard and instead of taking care they exploited the vineyard

Secondly they ill-treated all those who came to help them and they rejected their guidance

Thirdly they killed the owners son who was about to take over the charge of the vineyard

This really led to the destruction of their own life

They lost everything - vineyard they lost, the profit they lost, the privileges they lost, and finally they lost their life – because they were killed by the land owner for their grave offence.

6) What led the tenants to have this particular end?

First of all the greed they had for the vineyard

Secondly they did not realize the goodness and greatness of the Master

Thirdly they did not listen the advice of the master and failed to understand that the master is working for their good and betterment

Fourthly they wanted to become like the Master not through the correct ways but through crooked and immoral ways.

Fifthly they wanted to become rich over night

7) Freedom the use the Masters Vineyard - God given life

Once the vineyard is given to the tenants, they have the freedom and responsibility to use it in any way to make it more productive and creative

It is the freedom and responsibility of the tenants to use this vineyard to get the best vine out of it

Same logic is also applied to our life too.

Master sent his servants to collect the produce. So we are supposed to give the produce whatever we produce.

Depending on the produce that we give to the master we will receive our reward.

The tenants reward was ill-treatment and destruction of owner’s vineyard and the life of his son. Accordingly they were rewarded

What about my vineyard – my life?

8) Two ways of using the Vineyard

First way – the tenant’s way – not using it but misusing it – end result is total destruction

Second way – The way of the Holy People – They used the God given life with all its gifts and talents for the service of others and for the greater glory of God – end result is the Holy Life – Eternal life

9) Building and destroying the vineyard/God given life is in my hand

The moment we use these God given qualities to live our life we begin to build our life just like a house built on the Rock.

But many do not make use their God given talents and skills to do well or to live a good life rather they l use their talents, gifts and leadership qualities to destroy something than building something. In such a case the end result is destruction of everything.

 Am I faithfully working in my vineyard to get the best vine out of it.

Am I misusing  my life to destroy something and someone in order to fulfill my hidden agendas

God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones.

Fr Maxim D’Souza

Jeppu Seminary

Mangalore