(See the readings for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
What is love? According to the Oxford English Dictionary the most frequently referenced meaning is “a feeling or disposition of deep affection or fondness for someone, typically arising from a recognition of attractive qualities, from a natural affinity or from sympathy and manifesting itself in concern for the welfare and pleasure in his or her presence ….” Merriam-Webster’s more concise meaning is “a strong feeling of deep affection, attachment, and devotion toward another person.”
Both these deal with the noun; as a verb they relate to acting for the good of the one loved. I suspect for many people the experience of “love” carries more weight as to the definition. In other words, loving someone or being loved by someone defines the experience.
For those fortunate to come from a loving family, the earliest awareness of love comes from parents. Parents regularly put the needs and care of their children before themselves. They give of themselves and sacrifice so that their children may benefit. We see this in their compassion, instruction, forgiveness, generosity, kindness and mercy.
Spousal love gives a beautiful witness to these in a freely chosen commitment to the other person. In a certain way friendship does so as well. While we certainly can sense love when we experience it, either as giver or receiver of love, in and of itself it is invisible; we might say it is a spiritual reality.
The only way we can “see” it is through an action: a parent hugging a child, the warm embrace of spouses, the reaching out of a helping hand, a word of warning so no harm will come to the other, a sympathetic ear, the attentive listening in engaged conversation, giving up a particular pleasure or activity to spend time with another are all simple examples (this list could go on and on).
What about God’s love for us? We have heard the words of 1 John often enough: “God is love.” Jesus came and comes to us to reveal God’s love. He makes it known to us in many and multiple ways. He teaches us either directly or indirectly about God’s love. Indeed, His entire life is a living manifestation of God’s love. Perhaps this context will be helpful when we listen to the readings for Mass this Sunday.
Jesus is speaking to the “elders of the people.” The interaction is not a flattering one; it is more of a confrontation — in love. He is trying to persuade them to remove the blinders from their eyes, to remove their obstinacy so they might know God’s love and love in return. As it stands, they are not loving – not loving their flock.
In Jesus’ rebuke, He sounds like the prophets of old who many times rebuked the kings of Israel and Judah for their lack of love for their people. The elders’ obstinacy and self-interest also keep them from recognizing God’s love in the person of Jesus. So Jesus offers a parable to engage them in reflection.
The parable witnesses first to God’s love. He is represented by the owner of the vineyard. The vineyard is a wonderful image. Jesus is drawing not only from their experiences as most will have direct knowledge of these places and what they produce but also from an image used in the Scriptures.
The first reading from Isaiah is an example where the vineyard represents God’s people, the people of Judah. In this case, similar to the one in the parable, the owner cared greatly for his vineyard. “He spaded it, cleared it of stones and planted the choicest of vines; within it he built a watch tower and hewed out a winepress.” The first message here is that God greatly cares for His people and has provided them with all they need.
The second message involves the produce. Despite all his efforts, the vineyard produced wild grapes. The prophet associates these with the people who have forsaken the covenant, who have not loved God nor neighbor as called for in the covenant. Hence the words of judgment and destruction are meant to call the people back, to open their eyes and return.
In the parable of Jesus, God’s love for His people and the elders is seen in His persistent, unfailing effort to obtain His produce. The owner, again representing God, first sends servants. These are mistreated, killed and stoned. When this yields no change, he sends other servants, “more numerous than the first,” but they are treated in the same manner.
We may see in the application that these servants represent the prophets of old who experienced similar rejection. Instead of giving up, the owner now sends his son thinking, “They will respect my son.” They treat him worse. The son in the parable represents Jesus, the person telling the story. He is aware of how he is being treated by these elders and where it will lead.
One point we might want to reflect upon is that Jesus knows where this rejection leads but He continues to love. The conversation itself is an act of love. It also points to the most visible sign of God’s immeasurable love, the cross.
The love of Jesus is one that not only endures suffering and death, it embraces them so that we might realize the depth of God’s love for each and every human being, His love for us. Awareness of this love allows St. Paul to write: “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
God’s love is the source of life, the path to life and the bread of life. In Jesus and most dramatically in His cross, we see the invisible love of God made visible.
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Msgr. Joseph Prior is pastor of St. Dorothy Parish in Drexel Hill and a former professor of Sacred Scripture and rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. Read more reflections by Msgr. Prior here.
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