There are two Coptic months left before Nairouz; Mesore and El-Nasi (The Little Month) totaling five more Sundays. As we approach the end of the Coptic calendar year, and through the Sunday’s readings of those months our Church will remind us of the end of times and the Second Coming.
On this Sunday’s Gospel (8/13/2023), the First Sunday of the Holy month of Mesore, the Church will read the Parable of the Vinedresser from Luke 20:9-19. In this Parable, the owner of a vineyard leased his property to certain vinedressers (vv. 9). Over time, the owner sent three servants to these vinedressers to check on their progress, but the vinedressers beat each of them and the servants returned empty-handed. The vineyard’s owner figured they would respect his son, so the owner sent him to the vinedressers. However, the vinedressers killed him as he is the heir: “Let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours” (vv. 14). After sharing this Parable, Jesus asked “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy these tenants and give the vineyard to others” (vv. 15-16).
Frequently, we hear about how this parable symbolizes the Crucifixion of Jesus. The vineyard is representative of Earth; the owner represents the Father; the servants are prophets; the vinedressers represent the Scribes and Chief Priests. Hence, killing the Son foretells how the Chief Priests pushed for Jesus’ crucifixion.
However, this Parable can also be symbolic of the end of time. The owner sent people to the vineyard so he could see the fruit of the vinedressers’ labor. In His commentary on Luke, St. Cyril of Alexandria says “The farm was given to other farmers. Who are they? I answer the company of the holy apostles, the preachers of the evangelical commandments, the ministers of the new covenant” (Sermon CXXIV). As Christians, we are the ministers of the new covenant. Putting ourselves in the position of the vinedressers, this Gospel shows how at the end of time the Lord will ask us about the fruit of our labor and what we did with the gifts and talents He has entrusted us with.
Therefore, let us remain diligent until the end and continue to use our gifts for the glory of God.
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