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Master·evangeli.net

Today's Gospel + short theological explanation

Friday of the Second Week of Lent
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Gospel text (Mt 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 (…), 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 (…). Finally, he sent his son to them (…). 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.’ (…).

Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone (…)’. 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 (…)."

News of the “Parable of the vineyards and its tenants”

EDITORIAL TEAM evangeli.net (based on texts by Benedict XVI) (Città del Vaticano, Vatican)

Today, Jesus takes up again, by modifying it, Isaiah’s “song of the vineyards” (5,1-7): the vineyards looked like the image of the “wife”, Israel: those whom God had shown the way to the “Torah”, but answered by breaking the law…

Now, in the words of Jesus, Israel is represented by the tenants. The story of God’s struggle —continually renewed— by and with Israel is shown in a succession of “servants” who, on behalf of the owner, come to collect the rent. The abuse to the servants reflects the history of the prophets, their suffering… Although the “son” will run the same fate; the “Master” will not abandon the vineyards: he will rent it to others…

—Isn’t this a description of our present? We declare that “God has died” and thus we are god and the “vineyard” is ours! Let’s now begin to unveil the consequences of all this… However, the death of the “Son” is not the last word: He is the “cornerstone” through His death and resurrection brings a new beginning.