The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone

 

Scripture readings for this reflection can be found at Friday of the Second Week of Lent | USCCB

In our gospel for today we hear the familiar parable about the landowner of a vineyard who leases it out to tenants to give to the owner produce at vintage time.

The owner of the vineyard is clearly God. The vineyard is the house of Israel, where God’s people are to be found. The tenants of the vineyard are the people of God. The servants that were sent and eventually beat and killed represent the prophets of old. Finally, the owner sends his son who is seized and killed. This son represents Jesus. As we see develop in the gospels, Jesus knew that he will eventually be killed by the scribes and Pharisees. They felt threatened by Jesus because of Him pointing out their sinfulness. Further, they were rejecting his authority as Son of God and Messiah.

Looking forward, we can now see the new vineyard as His Church. Jesus is calling each one of us to accept His message of love and salvation and is calling each one of us to bring this good news of salvation to other people in our lives.  This is how we can help develop a vintage that is acceptable to Jesus Christ. First our own acceptance of Him as Lord and Savior and then helping others to know that Jesus is indeed their Lord and Savior, as well.

In the conclusion of today’s gospel, we hear Jesus say to the scribes that the kingdom will be “…given to a people that will produce its fruit.” We produce good fruit by how we live out our call as Christians. First, by accepting that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose on Easter Sunday Morning, and by living out a life of loving God and our neighbor. Further, being human, we will at times fall short of this call of love. It is during these times that we should turn back to God in the sacrament of confession to show Jesus true love and repentance.

It is challenging and demanding to be a follower of Jesus Christ but let us pray to the Lord for the strength to do what He is asking of us: to accept Him as Savior and to bring this good news of salvation to those who are in most need of hearing it.