First Reading (Genesis 37,3-4.12-13a.17b-28)
Reading of the Book of Genesis.
Israel loved Joseph more than all his other children, because he was born to him in old age. And so he had a long-sleeved tunic made for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all of them, they hated him and could no longer speak to him peacefully. Now, as Joseph’s brothers had gone to feed their father’s flock in Shechem, Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers must be with the flocks in Shechem. Come, I will send you to them.” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dotaim. But when they saw him in the distance, before he approached, they plotted his death. They said to each other: “Here comes the dreamer! Let’s kill him and throw him into a cistern, then we will say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we will see what his dreams are for.” But when Reuben heard this, he said to them, “Let us not take his life!” And he added: “Do not shed blood, but cast it into that cistern in the desert, and do not touch it with your hands.” He said this because he wanted to free him from their hands and return him to his father. As soon as Joseph arrived near his brothers, they stripped him of his long-sleeved tunic, picked him up and threw him into a cistern that had no water. Then they sat down to eat. Looking up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites approaching from Gilead. The camels were loaded with spices, balsam and resin, which they transported to Egypt. And Judah said to the brothers, “What good would it be for us to kill our brother and hide his blood? It is better to sell him to these Ishmaelites and not stain our hands, for he is our brother and our flesh.” The brothers agreed with what he said. When the Midianite traders passed by, they took Joseph out of the cistern, and for twenty pieces of silver they sold him to the Ishmaelites, and they took him to Egypt.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (Matthew 21,33-43,45-46)
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, Jesus addressed the chief priests and the elders of the people, and said to them: “Listen to this other parable: A certain owner planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, made a winepress in it to crush the grapes and built a guard tower. The servants beat one, killed another, and stoned the third. The owner again sent other servants, in greater numbers than the first. But they treated them in the same way. Finally, the owner sent his son to them, thinking: ‘They will respect my son.’ So they grabbed the son, threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Well, when the owner of the vineyard returns, what will he do with these vineyard workers?” The high priests and the elders of the people replied: “He will certainly have these wicked people killed violently and will lease the vineyard to other growers, who will give him the fruits at the right time.” Then Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was done by the Lord and it is marvelous in our eyes?’ Therefore I tell you: the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will bear fruit.” The high priests and Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, and they understood that he was speaking about them. They tried to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, as they considered Jesus a prophet.
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
My dear brothers and sisters, today we are invited to reflect on two powerful biblical passages that speak of betrayal, choices, and the divine call to justice. The story of Joseph, narrated in the book of Genesis, and Jesus’ parable of the vinedressers, in Matthew’s gospel, have something in common: they both show us what happens when human beings choose to ignore God’s love and justice in favor of selfishness and self-sufficiency.
Let’s imagine, for a moment, that we are in the center of a large city, in the middle of frenetic movement. We are surrounded by people in a hurry, chasing their own interests. Among them, we can see, in a corner, a person suffering from being left aside, ignored, even betrayed. Does this sound familiar? The feeling of being wronged or undervalued is not a rare experience, unfortunately. Joseph, Jacob’s beloved son, felt this very cruelly, and it is this experience that we will explore today.
In the first reading, we have the story of Joseph, who, despite being his father’s favorite son, faces envy and betrayal from his own brothers. Jacob, his father, loves Joseph more than his other sons, and this causes his brothers to hate him. They cannot bear to see their father’s love for Joseph and, in a moment of anger and jealousy, decide to sell him into slavery. But, to justify their action, they invent a cruel lie: “Joseph was devoured by an animal”, and show the blood-stained tunic as “proof”. Not only do they betray Joseph, but they also betray his father’s trust.
Now, let’s stop for a moment and reflect. How many times in our lives are we victims of similar injustices? How many times do we feel that we are misunderstood or wronged, and that others, out of envy or selfishness, try to destroy us? The story of Joseph is not just an ancient story; it is universal. She talks about our daily experience of living in a world where envy, selfishness and injustice still dominate many hearts.
However, Joseph’s story shows us something very important: despite all the cruelty and betrayal of his brothers, Joseph never loses trust in God. He is sold to Egypt, but even there, God continues to guide him, and he becomes a key figure in the history of the people of Israel. What Joseph teaches us, then, is that, no matter how difficult circumstances may be, God always has a greater plan for our lives, even when we do not understand the reasons for suffering.
Now, let’s look at the gospel of Matthew, where Jesus tells us the parable of the evil vinedressers. The owner of the vineyard, who represents God, sends servants to harvest the fruits of the vineyard, but the vineyard growers, instead of fulfilling their obligation, beat and kill the servants. The owner of the vineyard then decides to send his own son, thinking that he would be respected, but the wine growers, in an even more cruel act, kill the son, believing that, in this way, they could take possession of the vineyard for themselves.
This parable reveals to us the hearts of many human beings in the face of God’s call: arrogance, disobedience and rejection of His love. The vinedressers represent those who take advantage of the goods that God gives them, but refuse to recognize His authority and generosity. They reject the prophets that God sends and, in the end, they kill the very Son of God, Jesus Christ.
Here we see something very profound: the rejection of the Son of God is the rejection of divine mercy. Just as Joseph’s brothers rejected their brother out of envy, the vinedressers in the parable rejected the Son out of selfishness. When God sends us His messages of love, when He gives us so many chances for change and conversion, we are called to listen and act in accordance with His will. However, often, in our spiritual blindness, we prefer to live the way we want, ignoring the divine call.
Now, the question for all of us is: how are we responding to God’s call on our lives? Are we, like Joseph, maintaining our trust in God even when we face life’s difficulties and betrayals? Or are we, like the vinedressers, rejecting God’s mercy and love, pursuing our own interests and turning away from true justice?
God calls us, today, to reflect on our actions. He invites us to live with an open heart, willing to serve and recognize His authority. Like Joseph, we must trust God even in adversity, and like the vinedressers, we must learn to listen to God’s voice, rather than rejecting it.
Sometimes it is difficult to see God’s purpose in the midst of life’s suffering. Just as Joseph was thrown into a cistern and then sold into slavery, we too face situations that make us question why God allows suffering. But it is precisely in these moments that we are called to trust His wisdom more deeply. God is not the cause of our suffering, but He uses even the most difficult situations to shape us, to bring us closer to Him and to teach us to be more humble and more faithful.
The parable of the vinedressers reminds us that God gives us everything we have – our talents, our possessions, our lives – not so that we can use them selfishly, but so that we can collaborate with Him in His work in the world. He calls us to live for others, to use what we have to do good, to be faithful in small things so that we can be trustworthy in big things. Our life, like the vine, must produce fruits of justice, kindness and love.
Now, let’s reflect: what do we need to change in our lives? Where are we being like Joseph’s brothers, rejecting those God has placed in our path? Where are we being like the vinedressers, rejecting God’s righteousness and pursuing our own interests?
God offers us His mercy and His forgiveness. He calls us to a new beginning, to a new life in Christ. If we listen to His voice, if we follow His path, He will guide us to true freedom and true peace.
My brothers and sisters, God’s call is clear and urgent. Let us not be like the vineyard growers, who despise God’s messengers, but rather like Joseph, who, despite adversity, trusted in God. Let us follow Joseph’s example and open our hearts to the divine plan, knowing that, in the end, God always has something greater for us, something that goes beyond what we can imagine.
May we, with faith, follow God’s will, trusting in His justice, His love and His mercy. May we be faithful, even in difficulties, and may we produce fruits that glorify God and bring peace and justice to our world. Amen.
