Tobit was a generous and kind-hearted man. He wouldn't think of enjoying his Pentecost feast without inviting a poor man to dine with him. When his son discovered one of their countrymen who had been murdered, Tobit retrieved his body and dug a grave for him. Not only that, but he also wept for him - a total stranger. If only we were so generous.

Unfortunately, our own times have taught us wariness and suspicion - we are afraid of strangers. But to Jesus, no one is a stranger.

The parable of the wicked tenants is a retelling of the song of the vineyard in Isaiah 5. It is applied to the life of Jesus. The story should not be aimed at any one group but at all of us. We forget who the actual owner of the vineyard is and begin to think that we are. We also forget that we are mere tenants and that the owner expects us to bring in a harvest of righteousness, kindness, and good works. Belonging to the right group alone is not much help unless our lives mirror what we profess with our lips.