It was not and still is not easy to be a community. The letter of St. Paul is an invitation to the community to live in harmony; to focus on Jesus Christ. During his time, many of the philosophers would exhort their listeners to live out the virtues to avoid the destructive forces of vices. It was easier to have an orientation towards vices due to man’s fallen nature. The call to live virtuous lives is constant as the lure to vices is relentless. The raw power of anger and envy is often felt stronger compared to the softer but even more powerful force of love. It is easier for a person who has been wounded to live only from the perspective from the wounds and to incessantly see this state as a never changing lot in one’s own life.
In the parable, the relationship between the land owners and the tenants is soured by the economic conditions of the tenants. The tenants would have to keep aside their earnings for religious purposes, like the tithe that they had to pay, the taxes of the government, to buy materials for the farming. They had to keep something for their existence as well. Then added to all these is the rent that they had to pay the landowner. Looking at this situation, we would say it is only just that the tenants pay what is due. Do we pay what is due to God our Father? Do we live a life of nurturing virtues through the graces given by Him who called us? Are we making due returns to the Lord or do we see the good life, the good talents, the good timing of activities as our lot in life and has nothing to do with God our Father?
Due to the bad relationship that someone suffers. In all our dealings with others, do we consider the relationship that we have as important or do we see the work we have to do as more important?