4 October 2020
Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
The life of the Christian faithful has a new light shed upon it every time the Lord chooses a new part of creation as an image for it. A common image for the care of God and the reliance of His chosen people is that of shepherd and sheep. Yet today’s image shows us an even more radical form of care and reliance: the vineyard. If a flock of sheep is in the sun, it can move to the shade. If it is hungry, it puts its head down and enjoys the pasture. The sheep needs the guidance of the shepherd to get to these resources, but then knows what to do once they have arrived in good pastures. A plant needs everything to be brought to it. If it is in too much sunlight, it cannot move to the shade. If it is dehydrated, it cannot go get some water. If a plant needs more nutrients, it can’t just acquire them by eating. All these needs must be attended to by the one who plants and waters and fertilizing and cares for the vineyard in so many ways. In this utter and complete care of the vinedresser, we see an image of the Lord who deals with us as our opening prayer says, “in the abundance of your kindness”.
Yet, as we see in the reading, this care is for the cultivation of the full life of the vine that is seen in the good fruit which is to come from the vine. We are not to impede the flourishing of God’s kindness in our lives. The Lord laments in the first reading that the vine is not bearing good fruit, despite the care lavished upon it. In the Gospel according to John, at the Last Supper, Jesus tells the apostles, “I am the vine and you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit” (John 15:5). The conditions of flourishing are to remain connected heart and soul to the source of our life. This week, let us pray for the grace to remain in Christ and to rely on Him through prayer and worship, and to let God bear the fruit of heroic charity in us.