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Gospel Reading for March 21, 2025 – Matthew 21: 33-43, 45-46
REFUSED TO SEE
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: “Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’ They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?” They answered him, “He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times.” Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?
Therefore, I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them. And although they were attempting to arrest him, they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.
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The Jews believed they were the chosen people; that the Messiah would come from them. The Messiah was already in their midst but they did not recognize him because they REFUSED TO SEE. They put the Messiah in a box with qualifications they themselves made, and because Jesus did not match up to that, they did not consider him as one. As a matter of fact, to this very day, a lot of them do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah and see him only as a prophet. Hence, Christianity bloomed outside Israel and this year 2025, it is expected to be 31% of the world population or around 2.645 billion Christians all over the world. So, while we are benefiting so much from Jesus’ teachings, from his presence especially in the Sacraments, and living lives that are truly worth every second spent, they are still waiting for the Messiah to come.
We cannot put God in a box. We are not the ones to approve that he is really God. It is very far beyond our capacity to be judge of that! Indeed, “Too late” is such an expensive phrase!
Lord Jesus, our Saviour, our Redeemer, in whatever way you were introduced to us, we are so grateful to have known you and be recipients of your teachings, your graces and to be given the chance to live in your love!
