3/6/2026 (Friday) Today’s Gospel reading: Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

33 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.
34 When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
35 But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned.
36 Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way.
37 Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’
38 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.’
39 They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
40 What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?”
41 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.”
42 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?
43 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.”

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them.
46 And although they were attempting to arrest him, they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

3/6/2026 (Friday) Today’s Gospel reflection / homilyn/ sermon: Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

Jesus tells a story about a landowner who entrusted his vineyard to tenants. Everything was prepared for them including fertile soil, protective walls, and necessary tools. The expectation was simple: cultivate the vineyard faithfully and give the owner what was rightfully his. Instead, the tenants became possessive. They forgot they were stewards, not owners. When the landowner sent servants to collect the fruit, they were rejected and harmed. Finally, when his son came, they saw him as a threat rather than an heir.

This parable of the tennants speaks powerfully to our modern world because we too are entrusted with vineyards.

Our vineyard may be our position at work, our family, our ministry, our business, our influence, or even our nation. We did not create the soil of our talents. We did not invent the air we breathe. Opportunities, abilities, and resources are gifts placed in our care. The question is not, “What do I own?” but “What has been entrusted to me?”

The danger comes when stewardship turns into entitlement. In workplaces, some forget that leadership is a trust and begin to treat employees unfairly. In public service, officials may act as though authority belongs to them personally rather than to the people they serve. In families, parents or children may demand control instead of cultivating love and accountability. Even in spiritual communities, people may guard positions or traditions more fiercely than they guard justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

The tenants in the story feared losing power, so they resisted accountability. That fear led them to destructive decisions. Today, fear can still drive selfishness. When we feel threatened by change, by correction, or by someone more gifted, we can react defensively instead of humbly. Yet growth always requires accountability.

Another important lesson is about fruitfulness. The vineyard was meant to produce fruit. In our time, fruit may look like integrity in business deals, fairness in governance, compassion in leadership, honesty in relationships, and service to the marginalized. It is not enough to simply occupy space; we are called to produce something beneficial for others.

Consider a company entrusted with natural resources. If it exploits the land for quick profit without caring for environmental sustainability, it mirrors the tenants’ short-sightedness. Or think of a church entrusted with influence in its community. If it focuses only on internal comfort while ignoring the poor and broken outside its walls, it forgets its purpose. Even individually, if we use our talents only for personal gain without blessing others, we miss the heart of stewardship.

The religious leaders who heard this story understood its message, yet instead of reflecting, they reacted with anger. Sometimes truth confronts us in uncomfortable ways. The wise response is not resistance but repentance. When we recognize areas where we have acted like owners instead of stewards, we are given the chance to change direction.

Ultimately, this passage reminds us that God’s purposes will not fail. If some reject their calling, others will rise to fulfill it. The vineyard will still bear fruit. The invitation, however, is for us to participate faithfully.

Today, let us examine our vineyards. Let us serve with humility, lead with integrity, and remember that everything we manage belongs first to God. True success is not possession, but faithful stewardship that produces lasting fruit.

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