Vineyard and Virtues

The prayer group this Saturday was really good.  We were discussing the readings for this Sunday (27th Sunday in the A cycle) about the vineyards (Is 5:1-7, Mt 21:33-43) and St. Paul to the Philippians (Phil 4:6-9).  When checking the cross-references in the Catechism, I was struck by the message the Lord was sending.

The first reading is referenced by paragraph 546 (emphasis mine)

Jesus' invitation to enter his kingdom comes in the form of parables, a characteristic feature of his teaching. Through his parables he invites people to the feast of the kingdom, but he also asks for a radical choice: to gain the kingdom, one must give everything. Words are not enough, deeds are required. The parables are like mirrors for man: will he be hard soil or good earth for the word? What use has he made of the talents he has received? Jesus and the presence of the kingdom in this world are secretly at the heart of the parables. One must enter the kingdom, that is, become a disciple of Christ, in order to "know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven". For those who stay "outside", everything remains enigmatic.

Wow. It was quite telling that this comes in the section about the proclamation of the kingdom. This was one of the same paragraphs referenced last week when we heard about the two sons sent to work in the vineyard.  For the reading this week, it suggests that it is not enough that the vineyard produce fruit, but that it produce good fruit, or it will be torn down.

The second reading is referenced by paragraph 1803 (again, emphasis mine):

"Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." [Phil 4:8]

A virtue is an habitual and firm disposition to do the good. It allows the person not only to perform good acts, but to give the best of himself. The virtuous person tends toward the good with all his sensory and spiritual powers; he pursues the good and chooses it in concrete actions.

The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God.
[St. Gregory of Nyssa, De beatitudinibus, 1: PG 44, 1200D]

 I love the verse, but had not connected it with the virtues before.  However, it was the additional reference to good works that really caught my attention today.  In the first reading, God showers down his blessings, his graces, on the vineyard; yet it still brings forth wild grapes, sour actions.  In the second reading, we get the reference to the virtues, the fruit of grace and human effort.

Human virtues are firm attitudes, stable dispositions, habitual perfections of intellect and will that govern our actions, order our passions, and guide our conduct according to reason and faith. They make possible ease, self-mastery, and joy in leading a morally good life. The virtuous man is he who freely practices the good.
The moral virtues are acquired by human effort. They are the fruit and seed of morally good acts; they dispose all the powers of the human being for communion with divine love.

-- CCC 1804

This leads to a key in understanding a moral interpretation of the verse.  God has given us everything that we need to live a virtuous life, his graces a goal, and our free will.  However, sometimes we get so tangled up with the task that we lose ourselves in it.  It becomes a means for and in itself and is no longer directed toward God.  When this happens, the fruit produced from the effort is no longer the good fruit intended, but a sour and pitted shadow.  When we set a particular work up as our good, virtue is not the result, but self-love and in some cases, pride.

True virtue is always directed toward the good, but it does not have a connection with evil.  Aspects that normally are associated with the virtues (and sometimes mistaken for them) can be set up as the good to be pursued and followed at all costs.  Of course, this always brings destruction, because God does not want us to set up something else, no matter how noble, as a false god.  If the seeds of the virtues become poisoned in this way, the only thing that can be done is to uproot the plant; to disrupt the action and stop the individual from continuing the action which could lead to idolatry.  That is why God tears down the vineyard in the first reading; it is the only way to uproot the problem vine and give the cultured grapes the chance to grow.

In my own life, I sometimes wonder why God has stopped me from engaging in some good work.
Why God? I just want to sing in choir/attend classes/teach RCIA! Wasn't that a good enough plan?  How could it displease you?  I'm trying to serve you!  Usually, when I've calmed down, God will politely remind me that I have other priorities, and sometimes, that I was letting pride in my actions creep in.  He's asked me to let go of a lot in the past year, and it's taken me some time to recognize that he was right to ask it of me.

God, grant me the grace to trust you when you are trying to keep me from falling into sin.