St. Paul Catholic Church in Richmond, Virginia shared a homily from Deacon John on the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time. 

“The first reading and the Gospel today speak of vineyards and grapes,” Deacon John wrote. “As you know, dried grapes become raisins.”

With elections right around the corner, many individuals hope — either secretly or openly — that the Church will just state who we should vote for as president as well as other leaders. But just like in the parables that Jesus used to teach lessons, there are often not clear or simple explanations in life. 

“The parable contained in today’s Gospel from Matthew is anything but clear and straightforward. Indeed, there are many interpretations and layers to it,” Deacon John wrote. “Let’s start by noting there is a difference between a parable and an allegory.” 

While the parable found in Isaiah 5:1-7 could have been a parable if it had ended differently, the ending was clear and more in line with an allegory. 

In the passage of Matthew 21:33-43, Jesus tells his followers to listen for another parable. 

“Yet, given the context and time of the story, it is clear that the tenants are the chief priests and elders, the slaves are the prophets, Jesus himself is the son, and the new tenants are the Christian church made up of Jews and Gentiles alike,” Deacon John wrote. “Thus, the messenger is clear to that particular audience. And thus, viewed in that light, the story becomes an allegory.”

If we are able to see certain situations in life through the lens of the right storytelling tool, we will be able to discern more simply what we should do with our decisions and actions. 

“It becomes the choice of each generation to accept or reject God’s messengers, and to accept or reject God himself,” Deacon John wrote. “This causes us to question ourselves. Are we, by our lives, pleasing the owner of the vineyard?”