First Reading - Genesis 37:3-4,12-13,17-28
Gospel - Matthew 21:33-43,45-46
In the first reading, we hear the story of Joseph, the beloved son of Jacob. Because their father loved Joseph more, his brothers became jealous and resentful. Their jealousy grew so strong that when they had the opportunity, they plotted against him and eventually sold him into slavery. What begins as favoritism within a family turns into betrayal and violence.
Joseph’s story reveals how unchecked jealousy can harden the heart. Instead of confronting their own insecurity, the brothers choose to eliminate the one who troubles them. They reject and remove him, believing they are solving their problem. Yet unknowingly, they set in motion the very plan through which God will later save them.
The Gospel presents a parable that echoes this same pattern. Jesus tells of tenants entrusted with a vineyard. When the owner sends servants to collect his produce, the tenants beat, stone, and kill them. Finally, the owner sends his son, thinking they will respect him. Instead, the tenants say, “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.” They reject the son in order to seize control.
Jesus is clearly speaking about the history of Israel — how prophets were rejected — and ultimately about himself. He is the Son who will be cast out and killed. Yet the rejection does not defeat God’s plan. The stone rejected by the builders becomes the cornerstone. What human beings discard, God transforms into the foundation of salvation.
Dear friends, God’s chosen ones are often rejected before they are recognized. Joseph is rejected by his brothers. The prophets are rejected by the people. Jesus himself will be rejected by religious leaders. But rejection never has the final word in God’s design.
Sometimes we resist God’s voice because it challenges us. We may reject correction, avoid truth, or feel threatened by the goodness or success of others. Jealousy, pride, and self-interest can quietly close our hearts.
Lent calls us to examine whether we welcome God’s presence or resist it when it disrupts our comfort. Do we listen when God speaks through Scripture, through conscience, or through people placed in our lives? Or do we push away what calls us to change?
The good news is that God continues to work even through human failure. The rejected Joseph becomes the instrument of salvation for his family. The rejected Christ becomes the Savior of the world. God can transform even betrayal into grace.
Today, we are invited to receive the cornerstone rather than reject it — to welcome Christ fully into our lives. For when we accept him, allowing his truth to shape us, our lives themselves become part of the vineyard that bears fruit for the Kingdom of God.
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