"Caretakers of the Vineyard: Living Christ's Call in Queens and Beyond"

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Today's gospel lesson was taken from Matthew 21, 33-46.  

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Many times do we listen to gospel passages and wonder: What does this have to do with me? How does any of this relate to my world and challenges that I am living in today? Is the Bible even relevant in modern times, or is it just an old-fashioned text we are trained to listen to, but not really hear?

The funny thing about the parables that Jesus taught is that they ARE still relevant today, thousands of years later. We humans are faced with the very same struggles as the folks back when Jesus walked the earth and Rome ruled the world. In this parable told to us by Matthew, we can see how it hits home—touching on the possible abuses of institutional power, the accountability of our caretakers and government, and the heavy tension between the rulers of the world and God's call for justice.

This message, both the bible story and ours, hinges on a fundamental misunderstanding. The workers begin to think they own the vineyard instead of realizing they are just the caretakers.  

 

This mirrors how leaders and governing bodies (the elected “workers”) treat public trust, resources, and authority as their own private property. Instead of managing things for the common good.  We see in the bible and in some cases today, how the workers exploit these things for self-enrichment. We see this right here in our country today—when public lands are sold off, when taxpayers are squeezed, and when leaders use their power to line their own pockets instead of taking care of the fruit on the vine, God’s children, we the people of Emanuel, our family, neighbors, and friends.

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Jesus then quotes Psalm 118:22 about the stone rejected by the builders becoming the chief cornerstone. This points to a recurring pattern: the marginalized ideas, the overlooked grassroots movements, and the people that established systems dismiss or discard often end up being the exact catalysts we need to reshape culture and build something better.

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The core question of the parable—"What will the owner of the vineyard do to those workers?" speaks to our everyday anxieties about unfair systems and the eventual reality of collapse. Whether applied to corrupt political regimes or powerful monopolies, history shows that systems built on exploitation eventually face a reckoning, ceding their authority to new leadership.

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At its heart, this parable is a timeless warning against pride in high places. It reminds us that the benefit of all people — owner and worker alike — is what should always be the guiding factor. When power becomes self-preserving rather than fruit-bearing, it sows the seeds of its own downfall.

To some folks in our pews, who might look at the government and feel comfortable supporting the people in charge, this message can feel unsettling. But Jesus reminds us that in God’s eyes, it is all the people and the common good of all that must always come first. When power forgets that, things naturally change. And to the others among us —those who feel the heavy hand of oppression, whose livelihoods are squeezed, and whose daily survival is made harder by those in power this parable offers a deep well of hope. It is a reminder that injustice is not the final word, and that the natural, good order of God's justice will always prevail.

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Of course, Jesus’s message isn't just about politicians in Washington or rulers in far-off capitals. It is about us, right here on the streets of Queens, in our neighborhoods, and in our own backyards.

If we are truly going to learn from the workers and the vineyard owner, we have to look at our own daily choices. We are all caretakers of God’s creation. How do we treat the gifts we've been given? Do we act like we own everything around us, hoarding our time, our comfort, or our resources? Or do we realize that everything we have is lent to us by the Creator, meant to be shared? Do we in our daily lives reach out and touch our neighbors in need or look the other way?

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Living a truly good and Christlike existence means striving toward that greater good every single day. It means opening our eyes to our fellow man—checking in on the neighbor who is struggling, lifting up those who feel stepped on by society, and refusing to look away from suffering. 

 

It means rolling up our sleeves to protect the earth and all her children—tending to the land, the air, and the water just as faithfully as a good gardener tends the vines.

 

When we choose kindness over selfishness, when we stand up for the vulnerable instead of guarding our own comfort, and when we care for God's creation with love and respect, we stop acting like selfish workers and start bearing the good, sweet fruit that the Master of the vineyard is asking for. 

 

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Message for Sunday, Sept 20