The Fruits of God's Vineyard

 Reflection on Today's Readings, 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, October 4th, 2020

Texts: Is. 5:1-7; Ps. 80:8.11-15.17-19; Phil. 4:6-9; Matt. 21:33-43

We are the vineyard of God individually and collectively. God has invested so much on us and he expects us to bear fruits that shows the presence of his grace in our lives, but very often we disappoint him. We disappoint him because we bear bad fruits; we disappoint him because we make his grace futile in our lives. He says, "What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it. When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?" By our fruits we are ungrateful to him and show that we do not need his grace. When we do not appreciate his grace he removes them. Hence, he says, "And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down it's wall, and it will be trampled down. I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up; I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it." The removal of his grace is not to harm us but to make us realize that it is by him we live and have our being.

Jesus Christ, in today's gospel reading, tells us that God will not just remove his grace but give it to those who will bear the fruits. He says, "Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it."

We may ask: What are the fruits of this kingdom? The fruits of the kingdom are justice and righteousness. God, in the first reading,  says, "For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, a cry! What God look for are justice and righteousness. St. Paul, in the second reading, says, "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." The fruits God wants from us are whatever  bear the mark of truth, whatever bear the mark of honour, whatever whatever bear the mark of justice, whatever bear the mark of purity, whatever bear the mark of love, whatever bear the mark of grace, whatever bear the mark of excellence, whatever bear the mark of praise, etc. We are to do whatever we learned and received and heard from the Church, then God of peace will be with us.

St. Paul also remind us not to be anxious about anything, but pray. He says, Brethren: Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Jesus." We are not to be anxious about anything but pray and busy ourselves with bearing fruits for God. St. John says, "and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight" (1John 3:22).

Lord God, let your face shine upon us and make us bear bountiful fruits for your glory. Amen.

Rev. Fr. Andrew Olowomuke