Scriptures tell us to build up treasures in heaven and to share the fruits of the harvest with others
While most of us don’t have vineyards, many of us have gardens that can produce bountiful harvests. Most of us take the fruit of that harvest for ourselves and our household. One friend of mine has a huge garden at several locations and he delights in sharing the harvest with his friends and family. He has a great smile on his face when he hands over the fruit of the harvest and watches as people are delighted with the gift. He is truly living what the Scriptures are talking about this weekend.
We have been trusted with incredible gifts and blessings. Many of us, like my friend, know how to use the Earth to produce fruit that will bring people healthy and delicious meals. If you have that proverbial green thumb, offer to God your gratitude for having such a gift and make sure that there is always room to share some of the harvest with others. Generosity truly does lighten our hearts and reminds us of the purpose for which we have been entrusted with the gifts and blessings that we have.
How does our garden grow? Our gardens have something to do with the Earth, but they also have to do with the people around us: with our family, our circle of friends, the church where we worship or the city or country in which we live. Wherever our garden is, we are asked to bear fruit for the sake of the kingdom of God, and to make sure that fruit is shared, especially with those who are in need. I know that there are some parishes where farmers dedicate a certain portion of their crop to be given as cash toward those who are not as fortunate as they are. Bravo to them, and to their hearts that have been formed into the image of the kingdom of God. Many of us volunteer at food banks or homeless shelters. Some of us assist immigrants and help them find welcome and peace in their new home. Some of us visit the sick or the imprisoned and allow them to believe that we are brothers and sisters no matter what divides us. Some of us teach the truth of life by our words or more importantly by our examples. The whole idea is to use the good harvest of our lives to nourish those around us.
The most stunning part of the Gospel this weekend is the proclamation at the very end. If we don’t use the fruits of the vineyard for their intended purpose, the vineyard will be taken away from us and given to someone else who will do it its rightful purpose. That should make us shake in our boots because we have been in trusted with many of the gifts of the vineyard of God. Have we grown so calloused to the presence of those blessings in our lives that we don’t even acknowledge that they are not ours, but they are gifts from God and trusted to us for the sake of others? As the Scripture says, do we continue to build larger silos to store our surplus rather than taking of our want and giving it to those who need? The Scriptures tell us to build up treasures in heaven rather than on earth.
Please don’t think that any life is small and inconsequential. Each of our lives is a powerful existence meant to be building up the kingdom of God. Each of us has been trusted with some of the gifts of the kingdom. Many of us have been approached to give a donation and there is a phrase that is always used: No donation is too small. Quit thinking less of our lives and think more of the bounty of the fruit of the kingdom that God can help us produce with our life. It has been trusted to us. Will we use it for its intended purpose?
