Tuesday, December 2

GOSPEL READING LUKE 20:9-18

⁹He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, and leased it to tenants, and went to another country for a long time. ¹⁰When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants in order that they might give him his share of the produce of the vineyard; but the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ¹¹Next he sent another slave; that one also they beat and insulted and sent away empty-handed. ¹²And he sent still a third; this one also they wounded and threw out. ¹³Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ ¹⁴But when the tenants saw him, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance may be ours.’ ¹⁵So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? ¹⁶He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Heaven forbid!” ¹⁷But he looked at them and said, “What then does this text mean: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? ¹⁸Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”

Reflection:

While today’s story doesn’t quite get us into what we think of as “the Christmas Spirit,” the stage does get set for Advent, the preparation for God’s in-breaking to our world. Lesson #1, the world’s not always receptive. Lesson #2, be prepared for God’s coming to look a bit different than we expect. Lesson #3, watch what you reject.

Questions for reflection:

Think of and reflect upon a time that you rejected something that later taught you about the way to life? What have you learned? What has changed about your life?