Bulletins from October 2023

There are many interpretations of Jesus’ declaration, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Matthew 25:21). But the heart of the matter is found in the question that Jesus asked regarding the Roman coin, “Whose image and whose inscription?” The answer was that it was definitely that of Caesar. But the question that did not need to be asked was in whose image His hearers were made. The answer to that is also as clear, for the Book of Genesis narrates that God made man and woman in the divine image.

Using another parable about the coming Reign of God, Jesus employs the image of a wedding feast, to which the invited guests do not attend. To fill the banquet hall, servants went looking for others to bring to the feast, any who could be found. The troubling part of the parable relates to the person who did not wear his “wedding garment” to the banquet. Why was he cast out “into the darkness,” with hands and feet bound? This seems problematic, since this guest was presumably one of those gathered, “good and bad alike” from the highways and byways. Jesus preached this parable against the Jewish leaders who refused to welcome Him as the Messiah, the last-called are the non-Jewish people who become believers. Some have theorized that the wedding garment is the metaphorical baptismal robe, worn by a life of faith and virtue. Jesus’ invitation is a fulfillment of the words of the prophet Isaiah: On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines (Isaiah 25:6).

We sometimes fall into the same trap as the people of Israel at the time of the prophets. Although God had chosen them to be His own, his “precious vineyard,” they lived in such a way as to lose their status as highly favored by the Lord: “Now, I will let you know what I mean to do with my vineyard: take away its hedge, give it to grazing, break through its wall, let it be trampled!” (Isaiah 5:5) Jesus echoes these words in telling the parable of the tenants who killed the landowner’s son so that they could have the vineyard for themselves: “What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?” . . . “He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times” (Matthew 21:41). In all things, let us remember the expression that “The earth is the vineyard of the Lord, and we are laborers there.” What does God ask of us? That we be faithful coworkers, aware of our responsibilities toward God and toward one another. All of this can be summed up in the words of our second reading from Saint Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, which can be a source of hope and joy for us: Brothers and sisters: 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. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:6-9).