Word to the Wise
Friday, March 5, 2010 - Friday in the Second Week of Lent
[Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a and Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46]The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes. (Psalm 118, quoted in Matthew)
One way of understanding Jesus' preaching, especially in the Gospel of Matthew, is in terms of invitation and response. Jesus places an invitation in front of us and like it or not, we must respond. It is true that not everyone will recognize the invitation for what it is, but those who see the invitation, recognize it as such and then reject it or abuse it will have to suffer the consequences. The parable of the Tenants today is directed toward the religious leadership in Jerusalem. They have not only kept the produce for themselves but they have reacted violently to the legitimate expectations of the owner by harming or killing his messengers, including his Son! Which is why Jesus quotes Psalm 118 to them. His prophecy would come true in the person of the Romans who would destroy Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD. Our contemporary culture with its extreme individualism does not react well to invitations that carry an explicit or even implied "Or else...." character. We would rather see Jesus' invitation as one of many we can accept or reject without any consequences other than what our calendar carries! This is true even when it is a matter of Christian faith. We sort through what Jesus tells us and pick and choose what we want to add to our "tray of beliefs" much like a cafeteria. This can turn ugly if a particular teaching threatens an entrenched position of power and comfort, which is what happens in today's gospel passage. Read the reaction of the chief priests and Pharisees at the end of the passage! Perhaps Lent offers us an opportunity for what may be a difficult exercise. If we take the time to read through all four of the gospels (it doesn't take all that long), we can then ask ourselves which of Jesus' teachings make us "squirm" and which ones "comfort" us, and ask "Why?" If our lives are too busy to read all four gospels, then perhaps we might read one of them or at least read the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. The invitation will be unmistakable. What will be our response? AMEN
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