Lent Wk 2 March 22, 2019
Reflection on the WORD
Greed - Gospel: In today’s Gospel, Jesus in His parable said the tenants became greedy, corrupt and even killed in their refusal to pay the rent they owed the landlord. Greed is a form of insecurity that destroys good relationships. Ponder on, “Do I value relationships or am I pre-occupied with self-centred needs?”
Mt 21:33-38, 42-43
Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: ‘Listen to another parable. There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard; he fenced it round, dug a winepress in it and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad.
When vintage time drew near he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his servants, thrashed one, killed another and stoned a third. Next he sent some more servants, this time a larger number, and they dealt with 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 each other, “This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him and take over his inheritance.”
Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this is the Lord's doing and we marvel at it? ‘I tell you, then, that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.’
Today's Pointers on God's Word
As you read the passage what words, phases or meanings caught your attention?
- •This parable helps us to reflect on the graces and abundant blessings that God has given to us that come in so many ways: good family, good health, job and most important of all the gift of faith.
- •Let us ponder on this truth and ask ourselves, whether we are in any way behaving like the tenantsin the parable – greedy, ambitious, and self-centred, at the expense of the Good News of Salvation that God is offering us.
- •Especially during this Lenten season, let us ask God to help us to be more grateful to Him for all His blessings and to develop a much closer relationship with His Son as our Saviour.