Reflection by Sandra Hernandez

In this Gospel Jesus told a parable to the chief priests and elders about a landowner who entrusted his vineyard to tenants and left on a journey. He left expecting the tenants to care for his vineyard and to provide him with the produce when the vintage time grew near. The tenants however beat, stoned and killed the servants he sent to collect his produce. They also gave no respect to the landowners son and killed him thinking to claim the sons inheritance. Were the tenants thinking that it would be so easy to inherit the landowners vineyard with no consequences? We know that Jesus is sending a message to the chief priests and elders that they have not been good stewards of God's creation, and have disrespected and killed his prophets and would eventually cause Jesus’ own death. This Gospel is a reminder to us that we are now entrusted with God’s vineyard and he wants us to be good stewards. We are living our lives focusing on making a living for our families and ourselves thinking it all belongs to us, but we are only stewards and our “landowner” has been patient with us even after sending his son to die for us. Do we take it for granted that God’s patience will be endless, and that we will not be held accountable for not being kind to our neighbor or living selfishly? We must remember that if we are not good stewards we will be removed from the vineyard and face the consequences. We should live our lives as though we will be judged tomorrow.