Leadership and Accountability

Gospel: Matthew 21: 33-46

Many Christians interpret today's Gospel portion as Jesus handing over leadership and authority over the kingdom of heaven to them.  As it was previously been given to Israel, so now it has been passed on to them by Jesus.  While Christians will revel in having such power and esteem, they are remarkably averse to accepting any responsibility or accountability in the present situation.

Today we find countless churches closing and a mass of people leaving church life and practice.  Those who have been harmed by abuse at the hands of the church - physical, sexual, psychological - those harmed by financial and other scandals of the church, those harmed by a system of ethical double standard, these victims are then blamed for leaving church life.  Blame for the decline in faith is put upon the devil, secularism, communists, Freemasons - anyone but those who claim the mantle of church leadership.  

When we read today's Gospel, why do we not see ourselves as those tenant farmers who have abused other slaves and killed the son of the vineyard owner?  For that is indeed who we have become, and that is why we read this Gospel during Lent - to repent of our failure as tenant farmers, to beg forgiveness for the many we have harmed by our corruption and abuse of others, to remember again the One who owns the vineyard in the first place.