Daily Readings - Fri Mar 13 2020
Genesis
3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.4And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.12And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.13And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.17And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.18And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.19And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.20Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.21And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.22And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.23And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;24And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.25And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.26And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?27Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.28Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
Matthew
33Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:34And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.35And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.36Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.37But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.38But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.39And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.40When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?41They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.42Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.45And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.46But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for 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.