God’s Vineyard (Mk 12:1) by Dr. Rich Reich

01 Jun God’s Vineyard (Mk 12:1) by Dr. Rich Reich

“A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and built a tower.  Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey.” ~ Mk 12:1 (full readings)
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Rich’s Reflections:  In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the tenant farmers.  He  begins His parable by painting a picture of a typical  first century vineyard.  The vineyard is surrounded by a hedge.  A vineyard hedge was a thickly grown hedge of thorns and briars which would naturally keep wild boars and such from plundering the produce and pose a hardship to grape-stealing thieves.  There was a wine press dug out of rock, which typically consisted of two troughs, one slightly higher than the other with a connection between them at floor level.  When pressed, the juice from the grapes would settle into the lower trough.  There was also a tower, which served various purposes:   the foreman could assess the work and give orders from the tower,  its lookout could be used to guard against thieves, and its insides might provide a lodging area for the workers of the vineyard.  It appears that the owner of the vineyard in the parable has thought of everything.  He has created a workplace for his tenants with the resources necessary to do his will.  In reflecting on this parable, think about how God our Father has prepared a workplace for us with all of the resources we need to do His will.  Lord, thank You for blessing me with everything I need to do Your will.  Amen.
* Dr. Rich Reich is the co-founder of the National LIFE Runners Team.  He is married to Erica and lives in Colorado Springs, CO.  Full bio..

Faith Challenge:   Recognize the tools that God has blessed you with to do His will.

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, LifeNews, American Family, Vatican, Project Rachel..
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Our Prayers: Pray LIFE Runners Creed to End Abortion.  Add Prayers. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, unceasingly. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.
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Feast Day:  St. Justin Martyr
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Faith Quote:  “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” – Corrie ten Boom

Through Christ our Lord,
Rich
James 1:22