Using the parable of the landowner, in today’s Gospel, Jesus offers us much insight into the nature of God the Father. The landowner planting a vineyard, putting a fence, digging a wine press, and building a watchtower, assures us that before God entrusts us with responsibility, He makes provisions for all that we may need. The landowner leasing the vineyard to tenants and going off shows God’s trust in us and respect for our free will, rather than constantly policing our every move.

God’s tremendous patience and forgiveness is seen in the landowner sending messenger after messenger even though the rebellious tenants keep ill-treating them. Finally, the landowner’s decision to send his son, knowing well that he may be killed, shows God’s unconditional love! The landowner’s act of transferring the privileges of the vineyard to others points not to God’s punishment, but rather the choice of certain human beings to deliberately rebel and stay away.

“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done". The latter are those who choose to go to hell!” – C S Lewis