“I tell you, then, that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.”     

Matthew 21:43

On any given subject there are key words used by those who are familiar with the subject. Scripture is no exception.  A word frequently used in the scriptures is Parables. It was a great teaching tool used by Jesus, but do we fully understand what a Parable is? C H Dodd the Welsh New Testament scholar gives us the following definition.  “a metaphor or simile drawn from nature or common life, arresting the hearer by its vividness or strangeness, leaving the mind in sufficient doubt of its precise application to tease it into active thought.”

The Parable in the Gospel reading for today's Mass certainly has us all thinking. The reason is that the parable ends with us focusing on the need for good leadership among God's people. That is leaders Female and Male who will help the community of God's faithful produce fruit that will last. That is, the fruits of our labours will make manifest the values to be associated with the kingdom of God. Having good leaders in our communities will mean that our communities will become beacons of Faith, Hope and Love. Faith, Hope and Love have to be at the very core of our Christian communities and families. Faith, Hope and Love are characteristics of good leadership and therefore good communities.

St. Augustine reminds us of how important community life is if we are going to give both witness and leadership in our world of today.  The Rule of St. Augustine insists that the community must “be of one heart and one mind on the way to God.” Having been given the kingdom of God let us all strive to produce good fruit.

May the season of Lent continue to be a fruitful time for you all.

A meditation written by Fr Ian Wilson, parish priest at Clare Priory, Suffolk 

Follow the Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.), Province of England and Scotland  

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