October 2014

Jesus had problems with the legal establishment of His time – the Pharisees, Sadducees and scribes – especially when He taught in the Temple at the end of His ministry. In today’s Gospel, the Pharisees try Him with the question: “Which is the greatest commandment of the Law?” The issue was not actually about which commandment took precedence over all others. Rather, Jesus was being asked to express an opinion on whether there was a single commandment whose greatness lay in its capacity to sum up the meaning of the whole Law, with all 613 of its precepts. It’s easy to imagine the endless debates on the subject among the great and the good of the religious leadership: everyone had an opinion on the matter. It is also easy to see how the question must have seemed perfect to trap this amateur preacher who was causing problems with His radical new teaching.

Jesus doesn’t give a direct answer to the question. Instead, He chooses two commandments: from Deuteronomy and from Leviticus. He says, “on these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.” We are reminded of pictures in a gallery, suspended by two chains. Similarly, the two commandments chosen by Jesus are like two chains that uphold the entire Law. The two commandments are well known. First comes a quotation from Deuteronomy 6: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” The second, from Leviticus 19, resembles it, says Jesus: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” We are left with the question of why Jesus chose these two, and why He says the second resembles the first. One way we can explore this is to consider Jesus’ teaching on the conditions of discipleship. To be a disciple, says Jesus, it is necessary to renounce self and take up the cross and follow Him. Jesus’ total commitment to His Father is shown through His talking up of the cross: the cross shows He loves His Father with all His heart, soul, strength and mind. In taking up the cross He renounces himself. He continually places the needs of humanity before His own needs: that is, He loves His neighbor as himself. To be a neighbor is to address the needs of others before one’s own needs. So loving God with all our energy, and loving neighbor as self, sums up the Law because it describes perfectly the ministry of Jesus, who is the fulfillment of the Law.

In today’s Gospel, the tenants in the vineyard, while they have not lost the ability to recognize the heir, have lost any interest in the importance of that fact. Jesus uses this parable to warn how the Savior, “the heir,” will be rejected by the very people who recognize Him. The Gospel combines two of the most important images for the people of God, vineyard and the temple, and shows how Christ is the fulfillment of them both.

How then do we avoid becoming like the wicked tenants of the vineyard? Surely it is by practicing virtues, both cardinal and theological. We can only do this if we maintain a humble attitude to the Lord and pray for His help. This is not always easy. Bad habits, temptations and weariness all interfere with out attempts to be faithful servants and good stewards of the gifts that God has given us. But Christ is always at hand in prayer and the sacraments to come to our help, to raise us up when we fall.