2nd week of Lent 2024 - Friday - The stone rejected becomes the cornerstone

 Throughout Lent, so many of our liturgical readings point to the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus 

On Sunday, we considered how in the story of Isaac, God saved Isaac by offering the substitute of the ram, and how this story prefigured how God saves all of us from the eternal punishment we deserve by offering up the innocent lamb—his only begotten, for the atonement for our sins.

Our scriptures this morning provide a deeper glimpse into the saving work of God. 

In Genesis, Joseph is a prefigurement of the innocent lamb. He is innocent of any wrongdoing, yet he is sold into slavery by his own brothers out of jealousy and resentment. Yet, Joseph's suffering eventually led to his exaltation and his ability to save his family and the surrounding nations from famine. 

In the Gospel, the Lord tells a parable which follows a similar logic to foretell what God is doing through the suffering and death that he will undergo.  The killing of the innocent landowner's son by the wicked tenants mirrors the suffering and death of God’s son. Yet, the Lord foretells that death is not the end of the story. There will ultimately be justice for those wicked tenants. Just as there will be justice for all those who reject God. And the stone that the builders rejected will become the cornerstone. Jesus' suffering and death on the cross led to the redemption of humanity, offering salvation and reconciliation with God to all who believe in him—the foundation stone of the Church and the source of everlasting life.

The readings today point to where we are heading in our Lenten journey, not just Good Friday, in which Christ the stone is rejected, but also Easter Sunday, in which the rejected stone becomes the cornerstone of the Church. They help us to understand why indeed we call Good Friday, “Good”. For from it, comes our salvation. 

Through the rejection, suffering, and death endured by Jesus, God brings about redemption for those who believe in him. God can bring the greatest good out of the greatest evil, and transform the death of the innocent lamb into the source of our hope, forgiveness, and new life. 

In the stories of Joseph and the parable of the wicked tenants, we witness God's relentless pursuit of our salvation. Despite the darkness of betrayal, suffering, and death, God's light shines through, offering hope and redemption to all who believe in Him.

As we journey towards Good Friday and Easter Sunday, we are called to embrace the paradox of the cross—the seeming contradiction of suffering leading to salvation, of death giving way to new life. For it is on the cross that we see the depth of God's love for us, and it is through the resurrection that we receive the promise of eternal life. May this knowledge fill us with hope, courage, and gratitude as we continue our Lenten journey for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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That the season of Lent may bring the most hardened hearts to repentance and bring to all people purification of sin and selfishness.

For those preparing for baptism and the Easter sacraments, that they may continue to conform themselves to Christ through fervent prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

That we may generously respond to all those in need: the sick, the suffering, the homeless, the imprisoned, and victims of violence. 

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy. Through Christ our Lord.

2nd Week of Lent 2022 - Friday - Rejection of God

 

In both first reading and Gospel today we hear of rejection.  In the first reading, Joseph’s brothers rejected him and plotted to kill him.  In the Gospel, in the parable of the wicked tenants we hear how the tenant farmers reject, seize and kill, not only the vineyard owners servants, but also his son.

Jesus refers to himself as the cornerstone which will be rejected.  He too will be seized and killed by those who reject him.

The tale of rejection goes back to the beginning when Adam and Eve rejected God’s command, thereby rejecting His plan for them and for mankind.  By rejecting God they forfeited paradise. The sinner rejects God’s truth and God’s plan; he pretends that his life belongs to him for his own purposes.   

Sometimes the teachings of the Church are found difficult—they infringe on our sinful habits and attachments—and so they are rejected.  They are difficult so often because we have hardened our hearts against them. Yet, as G.K. Chesterton said, “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.”  

Many so-called Cafeteria Catholics belief the faith is like a buffet line, they can take what they like and reject the rest. But once you begin rejecting Church doctrine, where does it stop? Why does the current generation reject the Church almost outright? Perhaps we need to look no further than what their parents and grandparents rejected a generation ago. Cafeteria Catholicism in one generation, leads often to the total rejection of the faith in the next. Their parents never made them eat their vegetables because they initially found them bitter, and now they don’t eat vegetables at all.

In the first reading, Joseph’s brothers reject him because of envy—he was an obstacle to their happiness. Today, many people reject the faith for the same reason. They envy. They covet. They envy yuppies, movies stars, star athletes, power brokers, and so they reject the faith which tells them that these are false idols and empty pursuits. No wonder why they become so exhausted, they’ve become fixated on chasing an illusion—the illusion that something other than God can bring rest to their restless souls.

And we’ve all done this to some extent. Which is why Lent is so important. The prayer, fasting, almsgiving of Lent helps us to do penance for those not when I have forgotten that I am not the vineyard owner, but merely a tenant. Where I have rejected God’s call to holiness out of envy, arrogance, and self-centeredness. 

Help us to repent of our sins Lord, and to return to you with our whole hearts, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That our Lenten observances will bring about profound renewal in our parish and in our lives and relationships.

That God will rescue all those who live at a distance from him because of self-absorption or sin.

That all families will recommit themselves to fervent prayer this Lent so as to grow in greater love and holiness.  

That this Lent we will be faithful to fasting and to all the ways that the Lord sanctifies us.  

For generous giving for the needs of the poor, the hungry, the homeless, those who are sick, unemployed, victims of natural disaster, terrorism, war, and violence, the grieving and those most in need.  

For all those who have died, for all the poor souls in purgatory…

Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.