Mark 12:1-12 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (June 1, 2020)

Mark 12:1-12 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (June 1, 2020)

Using parables, Jesus went on to say, “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a hole for the wine press and built a watch tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenants and went abroad. In due time, he sent a servant to receive from the tenants the fruit of the vineyard. But they seized the servant, struck him and sent him back empty-handed. Again, the man sent another servant. They also struck them on the head and treated them shamefully. He sent another, and they killed him. In the same way they treated many others: some they beat up and others they killed. One was still left, his beloved son. And so, the last of all, he sent him to the tenants, for he said, ‘They will respect my son.  But those tenants said to one another,’ This is the one to inherit the vineyard. Let’s kill him and the property will be ours.’ So they seized him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. Now, what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”And Jesus added, “Have you not read this text in the Scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected has become the keystone; this is the Lord’s doing, and they marvel at it?” They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.

POINTS OF REFLECTION

The world is a  wonderful and amazing creation of God jam-packed with abundance. In Genesis 1:28 “ And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply,  and replenish the earth, and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”It is clear that God created man to dominate upon the earth. We are given the authority to take control of the things around us and return to God his share for the promotion of his kingdom in heaven.

This is about being the steward of God’s  gifts to all of us.  We came from nothing and we really are nothing without God who created us in his image and likeness. When someone  is totally hook into the world because of  owning success and taking so much pride of it, tendency is, he/she might forget that what he/she has is not actually  his/her  but owned by the Father. We come into this world with nothing and nothing we will bring when life come to its end.  

The parable of the vineyard, teach us not to forget that God owns everything in us including our position. There are times that God would ask us something in return of all the blessing we have enjoyed and consumed  in this life.  Thou shall not refuse or steal from God what is intended for Him for he might punish and take everything in favor of others who faithfully give their share to the Lord for the glory of his kingdom.

Many look at these things in the material perspective but do not forget that God has given us the three T’s –time, talent and treasure. Many would say “How could I give for I do not have much in this life? That thing is a third only of what God has given us. We still have time and talent which are the maker of treasure. If we cannot give material things, then I am sure we can share our time and talent if we want to. Brothers and sisters in Christ, we can share our time in  service to the Lord. We can use some of our time to proclaim his word. And if we are blessed with a good voice, we can sing to the Lord. If we can dance well, then go worship and dance to the lord. It is said that while God has given us a lot of everything including time and talent,  let be our way of honing these talents our gift to God. How we used it to further God’s kingdom is an  important share God really wants from us.