March 22, 2019
PARABLE OF THE TENANTS
Matthew 21:33-43, 45 -46 is the Parable of the Tenants. Our Lord directed these parables to the Chief priests and the Pharisees who were present. The first parable tells of a land owner who trusted his tenants to manage his vineyard. When the owner sent his slaves twice and his Son to collect his share of the grapes, the slaves were mistreated and the Son was killed. When the crowd was asked, “What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to those tenants when He comes? The crowd responded as would anyone hearing it that the land owner would have the tenants come to a bad end and lease the vineyard to others who will see the owner has his grapes at vintage time. (God sent his prophets and his Son to the Jewish people and helped them through earlier centuries. The chief priests and Pharisees were the leaders of the Jewish people and they were plotting to destroy Jesus, who is the son of God.)
Our Lord continues with a known Scripture parable about the Stone that was rejected by the builders but becomes the Keystone of the Structure. It was God who did this and we find it marvelous to behold! (Jesus is the Cornerstone of the Catholic Church and he is being rejected by the Jewish leadership who God blessed for centuries.)
Jesus goes on to say that the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will yield a rich harvest. The man who falls upon that stone will be smashed to bits and he on whom it falls will be crushed. The chief priests and Pharisees realized these words where directed to them because of their treatment of Jesus yet it did not stop their seeking to arrest Him. (Jesus warned the chief priests and Pharisees and indirectly us that ill can come to us by our beliefs and actions. I have been blessed to have been raised into the Catholic Church. I believe that each individual life is to be an expression of Love for God. We show our love for God by walking with God each day and trusting and thanking Him continually for his blessings and hardships. Our problems and hardships transform us little by little into the masterpiece that God is preparing us to be. We choose many times each day whether we trust God or defy Him. Trusting in God brings Peace to us and thanking Him brings Joy to us and God.)
Praise to God for the Lenten Season so we can grow nearer to the Lord.
Tana Odean
St. Anthony Church Parishioner
