HOMILY OF NINTH MONDAY OF ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B
HOMILY THEME: ENVIOUS AND WICKED TENANTS.
BY: Fr. Karabari Paul
‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’
Today’s Gospel (Mark 12:1-12) is usually interpreted to reflect the Jewish rejection of the prophets and Jesus; a revolt against their own salvation. However, we have so much to learn from this parable in our relationships with one another.
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We are told in this passage that, “a man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a pit for the wine press, and built a tower, and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. And they took him and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. Again, he sent to them another servant, and they wounded him in the head and treated him shamefully. And he sent another, and him they killed; and so with many others, some they beat and some they killed.” He had still one other, a beloved son; finally, he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ And they took him and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.”
We have to accept that the owner of the vineyard meant no evil when he leased the vineyard to the tenants. We must equally agree that if the tenants had other more profitable business or job, they wouldn’t have accepted to do business with the vineyard owner. It is also possible that the vineyard could have been given to a different set of people. In other words, it was a whole gesture of benevolence that the owner gave them the care of his vineyard. We must not also dismiss the fact that the owner of the vineyard asking for his share or profit wasn’t a crime.
But the wicked tenants killed the servants and the son of the householder to have vineyard all to themselves. In this passage, those who turn themselves into enemies are business associates. They are people the householder would call his friends; those he assisted to earn a living and provide for themselves and their families. They weren’t strangers. It was no longer enough that they were tenants. They conspired to take over the vineyard. They were so desperate that with several evil things done, they killed the man’s son.
While we condemn the ungrateful tenants with hearts poisoned with greed and envy, we must avoid betraying trust in business, family, and relationships. Some of the problems we have are generated by those we trust as friends. They do things to undermine our progress, joy, and peace. Someone we helped into business wants to take over the business and block us, someone we helped to get a job in our organisation is doing everything possible to destroy our image and take over our position. There are wicked tenants everywhere.
We see envy and jealousy. These vices are destructive. They divide us, cause bitterness and make us feel inferior. We can envy other people’s possessions, talents, circumstances and character. It can lead to us comparing ourselves with others and feeling like we are never good enough. We can start to become ‘if only’ people. ‘If only I could be more like them.’ ‘If only I had what they have.’ ‘If only I was as popular as them.’
We are also warned of the destructive nature of envy in Proverbs. ‘A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones’ (Proverbs 14:30). Fortunately, we don’t have to let envy and jealousy control our lives. Acceptance and gratitude are the antidote to the poison of envy. It’s about accepting that God’s in control and learning to be thankful for the blessings that surround us and the gifts that have been given to us.
Instead of being envious, let us be happy that we have collaborators. That others can do what we can do. Our greatness lies in our ability to reproduce our gifts in others. That is exactly what teachers and parents do. We are wicked if we think that others shouldn’t exceed our records and achievements.
GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. May God destroy from our hearts all elements of envy and wickedness. God bless you and your household always through Christ Our Lord Amen. Good morning
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