The Stone Rejected by the Builders

Meditation for the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
(Is 5:1-7; Phil 4:6-9; Mt 21: 33-43)

At the end of the parable of the tenants in the vineyard, Jesus said, “The very stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” The message is simple: a building that is not resting on the cornerstone collapses! It is expected that a builder ought to place his ‘construction’ on the cornerstone. Why did the builders neglect the cornerstone? It is common that the human person does not easily do the right things he knows that are good for him; we are easily distracted and do not often channel our love and appreciation in the right direction.

In the first reading, we hear the story about another vineyard, which was well planted, nurtured and well protected. After all this, instead of producing sweet wine, it yielded wild grapes. The owner was disappointed, and decided to lay it to waste. At the end of the story the prophet said, “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!” Thus, the Israelites abandoned the righteousness of God, which was their cornerstone, and they fell into the hands of their enemies.

 

In the gospel, the parable talks about the vineyard, and the tenants to whom it was leased out to. Those tenants cornered all the produce and planned to take over the vineyard from the owner. In their wickedness and greed, they kill the servants of the householder. Finally, killed his son also, hoping that the inheritance would be theirs. But they did not know that the son was the cornerstone, for he was the reason the householder leased out the vineyard to them, and tolerated their excesses. At this point, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus likened this vineyard to the Kingdom of God, which was first entrusted to the Jews, but it is now entrusted to believers all over the world. Just as the householder would hand over the vineyard to new tenants that will produce its fruit, so will God transfer the kingdom and its righteousness to those ready to bear the fruits of it.

 

The second reading urges us not to be anxious about anything so as to avoid building our lives on the wrong foundation, and facing ruin like the tenants. This is how greedy and evil thought germinates. But we should offer everything to God by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. “And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Chrit Jesus.” Jesus is the Cornerstone. As St Paul said in the second reading, let us fix our minds on the righteousness of Jesus so that we can desire whatever is honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, and worthy of praise. Yes, Jesus is in our midst as the true Vine, and we have been grafted into Him as His branches (Jn 15:5). We must avoid anything that distracts us from Jesus so that we can bear fruit to the glory of God. Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria.

Sunday October 8, 2023.

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