Rafting

 

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: "Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again, he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, 'They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,

'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.' They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 

What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?" They answered him, "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." 

Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes? Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit." (Matthew 21:33-43)

Most of us feel like we are rafting down a wild river while dodging rocks and hoping not to capsize.  The river seems to "win" most of the time.  

Our Church is our raft that provides security and protection.  But, if we drop our oars - meaning our belief in the love of God - then the rapids we face become formidable, and we topple.

Some of us carry and wield sharp knives, and we use them to pierce our raft with its air then whooshing out.  Love is the sheath in which we are supposed to carry those knives we all possess - knives of hate, envy, anger, and spite.  

Our Lord is our guide through the wilds we encounter and must traverse.  We must listen to and heed his warnings and advice especially to love our neighbors as ourselves.  If we don't, we loudly splash; bash ourselves against the rocks; and risk drowning.  Successful rafting is our goal.

The only rock or stone we should encounter is the cornerstone mentioned in today's Gospel reading.  We must not ignore it.  We should steer towards it upon which we will find the Kingdom of God and produce good fruit.

Deacon David Pierce