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."
En aquel tiempo, Jesús dijo a los sumos sacerdotes y a los ancianos del pueblo esta parábola: "Había una vez un propietario que plantó un viñedo, lo rodeó con una cerca, cavó un lagar en él, construyó una torre para el vigilante y luego lo alquiló a unos viñadores y se fue de viaje. Llegado el tiempo de la vendimia, envió a sus criados para pedir su parte de los frutos a los viñadores; pero éstos se apoderaron de los criados, golpearon a uno, mataron a otro y a otro más lo apedrearon. Envió de nuevo a otros criados, en mayor número que los primeros, y los trataron del mismo modo. Por último, les mandó a su propio hijo, pensando: 'A mi hijo lo respetarán'. Pero cuando los viñadores lo vieron, se dijeron unos a otros: 'Éste es el heredero. Vamos a matarlo y nos quedaremos con su herencia'. Le echaron mano, lo sacaron del viñedo y lo mataron. Ahora, díganme: cuando vuelva el dueño del viñedo, ¿qué hará con esos viñadores?'' Ellos le respondieron: "Dará muerte terrible a esos desalmados y arrendará el viñedo a otros viñadores, que le entreguen los frutos a su tiempo". Entonces Jesús les dijo: "¿No han leído nunca en la Escritura: La piedra que desecharon los constructores, es ahora la piedra angular. Esto es obra del Señor y es un prodigio admirable? Por esta razón les digo que les será quitado a ustedes el Reino de Dios y se le dará a un pueblo que produzca sus frutos''.
Which of the two did his father's will?" - ¿Cuál de los dos hizo la voluntad del padre?
Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: "What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.' He said in reply, 'I will not,' but afterwards changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, 'Yes, sir, 'but did not go. Which of the two did his father's will?" They answered, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him."
En aquel tiempo, Jesús dijo a los sumos sacerdotes y a los ancianos del pueblo: "¿Qué opinan de esto? Un hombre que tenía dos hijos fue a ver al primero y le ordenó: 'Hijo, ve a trabajar hoy en la viña'. Él le contestó: 'Ya voy, señor', pero no fue. El padre se dirigió al segundo y le dijo lo mismo. Éste le respondió: 'No quiero ir', pero se arrepintió y fue. ¿Cuál de los dos hizo la voluntad del padre?" Ellos le respondieron: "El segundo". Entonces Jesús les dijo: "Yo les aseguro que los publicanos y las prostitutas se les han adelantado en el camino del Reino de Dios. Porque vino a ustedes Juan, predicó el camino de la justicia y no le creyeron; en cambio, los publicanos y las prostitutas, sí le creyeron; ustedes, ni siquiera después de haber visto, se han arrepentido ni han creído en él''.
Summary: Here we encounter the despondent moods of two disciples who are traveling to Emmaus. It is only in their listening to Jesus, disguised as a stranger, who they meet along the way that they begin to have their spirits lifted. They share their dashed hopes and then Jesus, beginning with Moses, shares with them all that has to do with the Messiah. It is only when they sit to eat and see Jesus in the breaking of the bread that they come to the realization that their hopes have been fulfilled. It was because of their attentive listening that they truly heard and realized that their hearts were on fire as he talked with them along the way. We are also called to a deep listening that moves from merely hearing with our ears to listening with our entire being.
Summary: The encounter we have with St. Thomas in today’s gospel actually brings all of us hope. Thomas represents all of us in our struggle with faith. We all are a combination of both believing and disbelieving. A community of believers is essential for us when in the throws of doubt. Notice that the name Thomas means “twin.” We never learn whom he is twin to and thus scripture scholars believe that it is a literary device to allow us to be the twin. We too, like Thomas, have our moments of doubt and likewise our moments where we proclaim in full faith that Jesus is my Lord and my God. It is important to recognize that when Jesus bestows the Holy Spirit upon the disciples, he does so when they are gathered as a community. Jesus bestows upon them the power to bind and loose sins as a community. To this day when a priest gives absolution for sins, it is in the name of Jesus Christ and through the ministry of the Church (Community).
Summary: In this account of the resurrection we experience only the empty tomb, no angelic proclamation, no encounter with the risen Lord speaking to Mary of Magdela—just and empty tomb. The empty tomb became the earliest symbol of the resurrection in the fledgling church. Mary, out of her confusion, runs to the disciples to share that the stone was rolled away and that tomb was empty. Peter and John rush to the sight and John, upon seeing the burial garments neatly wrapped, is confident that Jesus was indeed risen from the dead. John saw and believed even in the midst of not understanding completely. Hope then, is an essential part of the process of coming to faith. Indeed these three virtues; faith, hope, and love are absolutely intertwined.
Summary: The plot to kill Jesus now involves not only the Pharisees, some of whom have been opposed to Jesus throughout his ministry, but now includes the chief priests and the elders. The leadership of the Temple wish to eliminate Jesus. They employ one of the twelve disciples, Judas Iscariot in their plot. Jesus, as an observant and obedient Jew, is celebrating the Passover with his disciples. This meal becomes the backdrop for the coming days of his passion, death, and resurrection. There are a great many events contained within this passage from Matthew, but for our purposes, they focus on the obedience of Jesus to the Father’s will. The suffering and death of Jesus becomes for us and indeed for all people, the ultimate expression of the Father’s love for humanity. The expiation of the world’s sin comes through the absolute obedience of Jesus.
Summary: The action of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead is yet another sign of God’s covenant promise of life. In all that Jesus does, we see the glory of God. In the raising of Lazarus, we have the most spectacular manifestation of God’s glory through Jesus Christ. This sign or miracle is the backdrop for the religious authorities seeking to bring about the death of Jesus. This is the ultimate catalyst that begins the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus, which is the seal and fulfillment of the covenant God has made in His love for humanity
Summary: Time and again the gospel of John will use the images of light and darkness, and blindness and sight to envelope the wisdom of God that is in the person of Jesus Christ. In the story of the Man Born Blind, the individual evolves from one stage of faith to another, from darkness and ignorance to wisdom and light. Watch the evolution of the names the man gives to Jesus...the man called Jesus, prophet, man from God, Lord.