Reflection for March 10, Friday of the Second Week of Lent: Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

Gospel: Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46 

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.

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Reflection:

One of the gifts that God gave us is our Catholic faith, Jesus gave this to us through our baptism. Does this gift of faith end with our baptism? No, Jesus is also expecting us to share this gift of our baptism by living and sharing our faith.  

We read in our gospel this Friday that there was a landowner who leased his vineyard to some tenants. After a period of time the landowner was now demanding his share of their produce. But they did not give him his share. The tenants were ruled by greed that they kept to themselves the fruits of the vineyard. 

The same is true with the gift of faith that Jesus gave us, Jesus expects us to share the fruits of our faith. Let us not be content with the status quo or inaction let us move and do something so that we could share our faith for this is what Jesus demands from us.  

For example, why don’t we share our faith with the members of our family by inviting them to go to Holy Mass? Why don’t we share our catholic faith with them by having a regular time for family reflection about the words of Jesus in the bible?  Or perhaps by praying the Holy Rosary which can certainly strengthen the unity of the family.  

What have you done so far with this gift of faith that Jesus gave you through the Sacrament of Baptism? Have you shared it already? – Marino J. Dasmarinas