Daily Readings - Fri Mar 01 2024
Genesis
3Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him.4When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.12Now his brothers had gone to graze their father's flocks near Shechem,13and Israel said to Joseph, "As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.Very well," he replied.17"They have moved on from here," the man answered. "I heard them say, 'Let's go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan.18But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.19"Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other.20"Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams."21When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. "Let's not take his life," he said.22"Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him." Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.23So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe-the richly ornamented robe he was wearing-24and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.25As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.26Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?27Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed.28So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
Matthew
33"Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.34When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.35"The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.36Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way.37Last of all, he sent his son to them. 'They will respect my son,' he said.38"But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance.'39So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.40"Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"41"He will bring those wretches to a wretched end," they replied, "and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time."42Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?43"Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus' parables, they knew he was talking about them.46They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was 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.