Overcome Evil be Doing Good

by Fr. Jerome Cayetano  |  10/04/2026  |  The WORD in other words

Today we hear another parable which is the Parable of the fruitless vineyard. The first reading tells us about the people of Israel who are compared to God’s vineyard whom he cared for; yet they failed to produce good fruit. The same scenario has taken placed in the Gospel: the landowner is God; the vineyard is the people of Israel.

The wicked tenants are represented by the religious leaders, specifically the scribes and the pharisees. They were given the responsibility to take charge of the vineyard, the people of Israel. The servants who were sent represent the prophets whom God had sent and whom the people had rejected and stoned to death. The son of the landowner represents Jesus Christ who will be rejected and crucified outside the walls of Jerusalem. The parable is meant as a warning to the people of that time, and specifically to the religious leaders, that if they continue rejecting God’s invitation and remain unproductive, the Kingdom of God will be given to a people who will heed God’s invitation and yield good fruits.

Thus, we hear a very consoling message that expresses in this fashion: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is a marvel in our eyes.” (Mt. 21:22) Who was that stone which the religious people had rejected? Jesus Christ himself. He has become the cornerstone of the Church, the new people of God. Certainly, you would all agree with me that what the tenants did to the landowner’s servants and to his only son was evil, sinful and a sign of ungratefulness and arrogance.

Yet, the landowner in his graciousness and compassion did not destroy the vineyard itself but just handed it over to those who would see to it that it would produce its fruits. We are challenged today to reflect the nature of God, and how he treats us. He is a gracious and merciful God. He never retaliates evil with evil, but with good. He is never vindictive by taking away the vineyard from them and giving it to the gentiles. The tenants brought this on themselves. God will never give up on his people; God will always persist until he gets a positive response from them. God is patient by giving them many chances to change.

The parable ultimately shows us that the only way to overcome evil is by doing good. Evil does not have the last say. In the end, the good will always triumph over evil. God will always prevail. Thus, we must always be on the side of the “good” and on the side of God. If we have done evil, we must ask God to forgive us and ask him for the grace to be consistently on the side of good, doing what is right and pleasing to God. Like Jesus, we must always triumph over evil even to the extent of suffering injustice. And Jesus challenges us, the new tenants to produce the fruits of holiness and righteousness specifically the fruits of the Holy Spirit such as love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, patience, humility, and self-control. These fruits are enriched in triplicate through the power of the Holy Spirit, our sanctifier and helper. Our ability to cooperate in God’s grace will be crucial in this endeavor. We must make every effort.