The Gospel for Friday of the second week in Lent is taken from St. Matthew 21st, chapter 22, 43rd verse and 45th and 46th verse. Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people, hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, a hedge around it, dug a winepress 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 proper times. Jesus said to them, did you never read in the Scriptures? The stone that the builders rejected had become the cornerstone by the Lord. Has this been done and is wonderful in our eyes. Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to people that will produce its fruit.

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parable, 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. In this gospel we have a very strong, clear image of what God intends when he creates a community of believers. He calls it the kingdom of God. A way of life that is there, that is going to be fruitful by its very nature. It is there to tend and to care for that which they have been given, so that it might be in turn given to others who are in need, who long for the produce that they can produce.

It’s a beautiful image that we should stay with and hold in our hearts as we consider what it is to be a believer, what it is to be a follower of God. It is certainly something that produces food nourishment to those around us. Sam. Satan sa. Satan sa. Sam sa.

The CLOSING PRAYER Father, you have made us in such a way that we can become so powerfully a way for you to nourish those that you love. Invite us more and more into that beautiful plan so that we can truly live in your kingdom and bring peace and love to those around us. Amen.