Isaiah tells how even a very well-prepared vineyard can fail to produce fruit. The Gospel points to those well-prepared people who rejected God and His prophets and opt for bloodshed. Jesus Himself – would be taken outside the vineyard – and killed. The authorities hated Jesus because He showed the people how their leaders only concern was for themselves. The powerful didn’t want to be challenged but they knew Jesus was right. Following Him meant changing their lives and they didn’t want to do that; instead they threw Him out and killed Him. But they could never destroy God’s plan. We ask God to help us fight against anything that stops us giving our best to His people. He has entrusted His Kingdom, His vineyard, to us and we need to produce fruit. We can’t do it alone and nor do we have to. God’s grace helps us fight off those temptations to push God aside. We must bear fruit or the vineyard will be taken from us too. Prayers alone don’t absolve us from our responsibility to live as Jesus taught us. We can be tempted to think that God will forgive us no matter how badly we behave or how often we reject Him – such a way of living will never produce fruit!
…to other tenants!
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