Daily Readings - Fri Mar 13 2020
Genesis
3Now Israel loved Joseph above all his sons, because he had conceived him in his old age. And he made him a tunic, woven of many colors4Then his brothers, seeing that he was loved by his father more than all his other sons, hated him, and they were not able to say anything peacefully to him12And while his brothers were lodging at Shechem, pasturing their father’s flocks13Israel said to him: "Your brothers are pasturing the sheep at Shechem. Come, I will send you to them." And when he answered17And the man said to him: "They have withdrawn from this place. But I heard them saying, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ " Therefore, Joseph continued on after his brothers, and he found them at Dothan18And, when they had seen him from afar, before he approached them, they decided to kill him19And they said one to another: "Behold, the dreamer approaches20Come, let us kill him and cast him into the old cistern. And let us say: ‘an evil wild beast has devoured him.’ And then it will become apparent what his dreams will do for him.21But Reuben, on hearing this, strove to free him from their hands, and he said22"Do not take away his life, nor shed blood. But throw him into this cistern, which is in the wilderness, and so keep your hands harmless." But he said this, wanting to rescue him from their hands, so as to return him to his father23And so, as soon as he came to his brothers, they very quickly stripped him of his tunic, which was ankle-length and woven of many colors24and they cast him into an old cistern, which held no water25And sitting down to eat bread, they saw some Ishmaelites, travelers coming from Gilead, with their camels, carrying spices, and resin, and oil of myrrh into Egypt26Therefore, Judah said to his brothers: "What will it profit us, if we kill our brother and conceal his blood27It is better that he be sold to the Ishmaelites, and then our hands will not be defiled. For he is our brother and our flesh." His brothers agreed to his words28And when the Midianite merchants were passing by, they drew him from the cistern, and they sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And these led him into Egypt
Matthew
33Listen to another parable. There was a man, the father of a family, who planted a vineyard, and surrounded it with a hedge, and dug a press in it, and built a tower. And he loaned it out to farmers, and he set out to sojourn abroad34Then, when the time of the fruits drew near, he sent his servants to the farmers, so that they might receive its fruits35And the farmers apprehended his servants; they struck one, and killed another, and stoned yet another36Again, he sent other servants, more than before; and they treated them similarly37Then, at the very end, he sent his son to them, saying: ‘They will revere my son.38But the farmers, seeing the son, said among themselves: ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and then we will have his inheritance.39And apprehending him, they cast him outside the vineyard, and they killed him40Therefore, when the lord of the vineyard arrives, what will he do to those farmers?41They said to him, "He will bring those evil men to an evil end, and he will loan out his vineyard to other farmers, who shall repay to him the fruit in its time.42Jesus said to them: "Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders have rejected has become the cornerstone. By the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?43Therefore, I say to you, that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and it shall be given to a people who shall produce its fruits45And when the leaders of the priests, and the Pharisees had heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them46And though they sought to take hold of him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet
Sermon
The readings today present us with two powerful narratives that, though separated by centuries, share a common theme of jealousy, betrayal, and the ultimate triumph of God’s plan. In the first reading from Genesis, we see Joseph, the beloved son of Jacob, who is envied by his brothers because of the special favor shown to him by their father. This jealousy boils over into violence as the brothers conspire against Joseph, ultimately selling him into slavery. Despite their cruel actions, the story hints at a deeper purpose, as Joseph’s journey into Egypt sets the stage for his eventual rise to power and his role in saving his family.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about a vineyard owner who entrusts his land to tenant farmers. When the owner sends his servants—and finally his son—to collect his share of the harvest, the farmers reject and kill them, motivated by their desire to seize the inheritance for themselves. Jesus uses this parable to critique the religious leaders of his time, who have rejected God’s messengers and even His Son. The parable ends with a warning that the kingdom of God will be taken from those who refuse to produce its fruits and given to others who are more faithful.
Both readings remind us that human jealousy and rebellion against God’s plan often lead to suffering, but they also reveal that God can bring good out of evil. Joseph’s betrayal ultimately leads to the salvation of his family, and the rejection of Jesus, though it results in His death, becomes the means of salvation for the world. These stories call us to reflect on our own lives: How do we respond to God’s gifts and callings? Do we allow jealousy or pride to cloud our actions, or do we trust in God’s providence, even when we face hardship or rejection? Let us ask for the grace to surrender to God’s plan and to bear fruit in our lives, trusting that He can bring light even out of darkness.