MY daily reflection and prayer:
Friday, February 26, 2016
The Second Week of Lent
Dear my friends,
Here is the Gospel for us today according to St. Matthew 21:33-46
Jesus says this parable to each of us, “Hear another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them. Afterward he sent his son to them, saying, `They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, `This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: `The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. But when they tried to arrest him, they feared the multitudes, because they held him to be a prophet.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
***
HOW great the Lord of God is! He so loves us that he entrusts us with what he values. This is one of the meaning of Jesus’ parable we read in today’s Gospel.
God is like the landowner purchases the land and does the work himself to set up the vineyard before he hands it over to the tenants. He likewise entrusts it to each of us, not simply looking for a profit, but for us to manage his vineyard. He pays us the compliment of entrusting us with his work, with what he values. He does not only gives us a job to do, but mysteriously puts the eternal salvation of other souls in our hands. This is our mission.
Even he is so patient with our failures. He is not a tyrannical taskmaster. He knows that laboring in his vineyard is hard work. At harvest time he sends messenger after messenger. He does not condemn the tenants after one messenger has been abused and another mistreated. Rather, he sends us his beloved son. It is a symbol that not once, but many times he forgives our failures, even our sins.
In the Perpetual Adoration of the Eucharist, while worshipping Jesus Christ we trust in him for he blesses us today with the gift of his kingdom. There we respond his promise that we will bear much fruit if we abide in him (cfr. John 15:1-11).
Let’s pray: Lord Jesus Christ, you entrust your amazing grace to each of us by giving us work to do in your vineyard. Thank you for your love and forgiveness. May we serve you with joyful hope and confidence. Help us to return all our talents to you in serving you and others now and forever. Amen.
Kredit foto: Ilustrasi (Ist)
