Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
"Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it,
dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned.
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
Finally, he sent his son to them,
thinking, 'They will respect my son.'
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,
'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.'
They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?"
They answered him,
"He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times."
Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures:
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?
Therefore, I say to you,
the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit."
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,
they knew that he was speaking about them.
And although they were attempting to arrest him,
they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.
REFLECTION
Kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit."
In both the reading and the Gospel, we are faced with evil lurking in hearts. Jealousy, envy, grudges, unfaithfulness, ingratitude and betrayal bring the drama of Israel's sons to a climax. How cruel the inflicted pain on their father! The youngest child is always the spoiled one. Why would Joseph's older brothers give such import to the situation?
Joseph was sent to meet his brothers. Presumably they would help, teach and watch over him. The tenants were given the responsibility by the owner to care for the vineyard in his absence. In both scenarios, the responsible parties miserably failed in their duty. Pride took over with the superior feeling of being better than others, setting themselves above everyone and everybody.
A few days ago in the Gospel of Luke 6:36-38, we read about how we will be rewarded by how we treat people. We are not to judge or condemn but to show mercy. Our goal is to make it to heaven, to live in the Kingdom of Heaven. And we are to help others.
Let us not set ourselves for failure. Know your duties toward your neighbor, and may the way God loves be the way we love as well.
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