Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 5, 2021
First Reading: Genesis 37.3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28
3Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.4But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.12Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near Shechem.13And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." And he said to him, "Here I am."17And the man said, "They have gone away, for I heard them say, 'Let us go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.18They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him.19They said to one another, "Here comes this dreamer.20Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams."21But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life."22And Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; cast him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him"--that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father.23So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore.24And they took him and cast him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.25Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.26Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?27Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers listened to him.28Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.
Psalm 105
1Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!2Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!3Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!4Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!5Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,6O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!7He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.8He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,9the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac,10which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant,11saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance."12When they were few in number, of little account, and sojourners in it,13wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people,14he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account,15saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!"16When he summoned a famine on the land and broke all supply of bread,17he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave.18His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron;19until what he had said came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him.20The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free;21he made him lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions,22to bind his princes at his pleasure and to teach his elders wisdom.23Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.24And the LORD made his people very fruitful and made them stronger than their foes.25He turned their hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants.26He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen.27They performed his signs among them and miracles in the land of Ham.28He sent darkness, and made the land dark; they did not rebel against his words.29He turned their waters into blood and caused their fish to die.30Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the chambers of their kings.31He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats throughout their country.32He gave them hail for rain, and fiery lightning bolts through their land.33He struck down their vines and fig trees, and shattered the trees of their country.34He spoke, and the locusts came, young locusts without number,35which devoured all the vegetation in their land and ate up the fruit of their ground.36He struck down all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their strength.37Then he brought out Israel with silver and gold, and there was none among his tribes who stumbled.38Egypt was glad when they departed, for dread of them had fallen upon it.39He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to give light by night.40They asked, and he brought quail, and gave them bread from heaven in abundance.41He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed through the desert like a river.42For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham, his servant.43So he brought his people out with joy, his chosen ones with singing.44And he gave them the lands of the nations, and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples' toil,45that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws. Praise the LORD!
Gospel: Matthew 21.33-43, 45-46
33"Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country.34When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit.35And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.36Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them.37Finally he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.'39And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.40When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"41They said to him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons."42Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?43Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.46And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful stories of betrayal, rejection, and the unfolding of God’s plan. The first reading from Genesis tells the story of Joseph, the favored son of Jacob, who is hated by his brothers because of the special affection and gifts he receives from his father. Their jealousy leads them to plot against him, ultimately deciding to sell him into slavery rather than kill him. This act of betrayal sets the stage for Joseph’s journey into Egypt, where God will later exalt him to a position of great power and purpose.
The Gospel reading from Matthew presents a similar theme of rejection and betrayal through the parable of the vineyard. A father sends his servants and eventually his son to collect the fruits of the vineyard, but the tenants, driven by greed and a desire to seize the inheritance for themselves, reject and kill the son. Jesus uses this parable to critique the religious leaders of his time, who have failed to recognize and accept him as the Messiah. The parable warns that those who reject God’s messengers and his plan will face judgment, while the kingdom will be given to those who are faithful and fruitful.
Both readings invite us to reflect on how we respond to God’s gifts and messengers in our lives. Joseph’s story teaches us that even in the midst of betrayal and suffering, God is at work, shaping events for a greater good. The parable of the vineyard challenges us to examine our own hearts and actions, asking whether we are faithful stewards of the gifts and responsibilities God has entrusted to us. Let us strive to trust in God’s providence, even when we face rejection or hardship, and to bear fruit worthy of the kingdom.