Daily Readings - Fri Mar 01 2024
Genesis
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.
Matthew
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
The readings today present us with two powerful stories of betrayal, rejection, and the unfolding of God’s plan. In the first reading from Genesis, we see 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. Driven by jealousy, Joseph’s brothers conspire 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 eventually exalt him to a position of great power and responsibility. The story reminds us that even in the face of human sin and failure, God’s providence is at work, turning evil into good.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about a vineyard owner who entrusts his property to tenant farmers. When the owner sends his servants and finally his son to collect the fruits of the vineyard, the tenants reject and kill them, hoping to seize the inheritance for themselves. Jesus uses this parable to critique the religious leaders of his time, who have failed to recognize and respond to God’s presence in their midst. The parable warns us that rejection of God’s messengers and refusal to bear fruit in our lives can lead to spiritual consequences. Yet, even in judgment, there is hope: the vineyard will be given to others who are willing to produce its fruits.
Both readings invite us to reflect on our own relationship with God and others. Joseph’s story challenges us to examine how we respond to jealousy and betrayal, while the parable calls us to consider how we steward the gifts and responsibilities God has entrusted to us. In our daily lives, we are called to trust in God’s providence, even when faced with rejection or hardship, and to bear fruit through lives of love, faith, and service. Let us ask ourselves: Are we like Joseph, trusting in God’s plan even in difficult circumstances? Or are we like the tenant farmers, resisting God’s call and failing to produce the fruits of holiness? May we turn to God with repentant hearts, seeking to align our lives with his will.