The most intense and distressing pain that one experiences is to be rejected. It is like a sword of sorrow, for it pierces our heart and leaves us deeply wounded. Rejection is something we all encounter on our journey through life, and Jesus was no exception. The Son of God came to us, showing his love in every possible way, but people rejected him. And God laments through Isaiah, “What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done?”
Each of us is a tenant cultivating a small portion of God’s vineyard and when harvest time arrives, we are expected to produce the fruits of compassionate caring and generous sharing as shown in the Gospel. The parable challenges us to keep working in God’s service and not to become complacent. A time will come when we will be answerable for the way in which we have carried out the task God has entrusted us with. Christ wants us to respond to his appeal, to bear good fruit and become an immense, beautiful harvest.
