TENANTS NOT OWNERS

The Parable of the tenants in the Gospel of Matthew ((21:33-43) reveals a deep spiritual truth: that we are tenants not owners. We are not owners of our lives. We are not in control. Everything comes from God. We mature in our faith when we are able to acknowledge that our life is not anymore about ourselves. Our task is to do the will of God and to work for the well being of others. Like Saint Paul, we should be able to say, “It is not I who live but Christ lives in me!” (Galatians 2:20). We are called to be responsible and faithful stewards of creation. The parable of the tenants highlights the drama of the wickedness of man and God’s patient, faithful and excessive love. The landowner planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it and built a tower. The landowner planted an excellent and first class vineyard. He represents God who wants the best for us. It points to God’s generosity and providence. It reveals God’s goodness for His people. The landowner leased the vineyard to tenants. It means that everything we have is borrowed from God and we return to Him what we borrowed with fruits. All that we have is given to us in trust. Everything we call ours is on loan even the breath that we are using now. We are not the owners of all that we possess. We use it for the common good. We take nothing with us of what we owned, only what we allowed to bear fruits. In the parable, the tenants represent the religious leaders of Israel and the servants represent the prophets sent by God. At vintage time the landowner sent his servants to obtain his produce but the tenants killed them. God sent His prophets to remind His people of their duty to serve and to be fruitful. Finally, the owner sent his son thinking that they will respect him. Instead, the tenants seized him, threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. It corresponds to the death of Jesus on Golgotha outside Jerusalem. It is the climax of the iniquity of man. Yet Jesus said that the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. Jesus is the cornerstone of the new people of God that will produce fruits that will last. He creates a new family that does the will of the Father. God’s response to sin is never destruction, not another violence and death. His response to sin is always loving and new life beyond our imagination. God’s response to those who killed His Son is resurrection, a life without end. We are called therefore to recognize that we are tenants not owners. We are called to be grateful to God, to recognize that He is the source of all our gifts and these gifts should be given away. We are called to bear fruits so that God is glorified in our lives