The kingdom of heaven here and now can be envisioned as a vineyard, created by God on a fertile hill and planted with choice vines. This is a kingdom vision which should yield the best grapes. But if we look around us, we see a wasteland of briers and thorns, where bloodshed dominates rather than the justice and righteousness we hope for in God's kingdom.
If we are tenants given responsibility for harvesting the vineyard/kingdom to feed the hungry, what fruits of peace and justice for all are we producing? The question from Heifer International is: If there is enough for everyone, why doesn't everyone have enough? How can we co-create with God a kingdom of shalom and wellbeing so that the kingdom of heaven becomes more and more visible?
An answer to these questions centers on Jesus Christ in Matthew 21: 42 - "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is amazing in our eyes." Through Jesus Christ we bridge the gap between the chaos/violence/oppression/lack of peace all around us and the vision of the kingdom that is realized bit by bit in faithful discipling. On this World Communion Sunday, we Christ followers recognize and celebrate that we are a part of the greater Body of Christ for whom the Easter story of this parable is our very good news. In receiving Christ's body and blood in the sacrament of communion, let us re-commit ourselves - each to our own passion about making a difference in the world as we build on the foundation Jesus has laid for us.
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