Most of us may have the experience of agriculture, and possibly, understand the art of cultivating of farmlands and animal husbandry. In my own Nigerian African context, subsistent agriculture holds place. Growing up in this region of the world comprises of school attendance combined with spending hours with the parents in the farmland on weekends and on some other evenings on weekdays. I had a good experience of farming with my father, who happens to be an agriculturalist. The entire process: beginning with clearing of fields, planting of seeds, and the harvest, requires dedication, endurance, and attentiveness. Fields are cleared, and the ground is left to be watered through rainfall before is tilled, carefully manured, and prepared for the planting of selected seeds. When the seeds germinate and start growing, weeds are removed from the plants so as to provide them enough space to flourish.
In the case of legumes and yams, the tendrils are carefully tended to climb on staves on a daily basis to ensure an adequate growth. All these efforts are aimed to ensure that the plants produce a rich harvest. I remember how expectant my father was at the time of harvest. He was filled with joy and gratitude when the harvest turns up rich. On the other hand, it brought a feeling of disappointment in a case where the harvest was poor or rotten.
God’s Selfless Love for Us as An Invitation to Bearing Good Fruit
As in today’s (Sunday) readings, the image of the farmyard, farmer and the seed are often applied in the
teaching about the life of virtue. In the first reading from the prophecy of Isaiah, (Is 5:1-7), God expresses
disappointment with the house of Israel and the people of Judah, comparing their behaviour with that of a cultivated farm that didn’t bear any fruit.
The gospel (Mt 21:33-43) repeats this story with the parable of the unfaithful tenants. The landowner, who is God in this case, left his cultivated land at the care of his tenants and made a trip, hoping to enjoy a fruitful harvest at his return. At the vintage time, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But what he received in return was an ungrateful and wicked attitude from the tenants. They killed his servants, vandalized his property, and killed his messengers. The lord of the harvest sent his son, thinking they would spare him, but the ungrateful tenants killed him as well.
God loves us so much and does a lot for our own flourishing. In Jesus his only son, God took on human nature to show us the way to love and live the divine life. He established a relationship with us like the farmer and vineyard and tends us like shepherd cares for the flock. If we have the opportunity to observe farmers, we may observe that there is always a sense of connectedness between the farmer and the field, the plants and animals. The farmer looks up to heaven for rain for his field, and he feeds his flocks with the best fodder. The relationship exists out of the care the farmer takes in tending the animals or fields and there is reciprocity in the relationship offered through a rich harvest. Our relationship with God could be understood in this sense, only that God cares for us for our own sake and the fruit we bear is our own salvation.
Bearing Fruit in Prayer
St Paul urges us in the second reading (Phil 4:6-9) to have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, to make our requests known to God and to emulate his own life. Bearing good fruit is a mark of responsibility and a show of gratitude for all that we have received from God. The ability to give back what one has received – from teachers, parents, and guardians is noble and delightful. Taking the example of the family- most parents desire the best for their children and strive to be the best for them. I have also had the opportunity of seeing the pains of parents when their child refuses to bear fruit in return. A quote often attributed to St Augustine of Hippo says that our life is a gift from God and what we make out of life is our gift to God. I pray that as faithful people of God, we may be able, in St Paul’s words, to give back what we have learnt from him and bring our requests to God through prayer, Amen.
