Killing the Heir (Mt 21:38) by Shane Kapler

21 Mar Killing the Heir (Mt 21:38) by Shane Kapler

“This is the heir … let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.” ~ Mt 21:38 (full readings)
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Shane’s Reflections:  In today’s Gospel, Jesus likened the Jerusalem of His day to a vineyard planted by a landowner (God) and entrusted to the care of tenant farmers (Israel’s chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees).  When the landowner sent servants (the prophets) to obtain his produce, the tenant farmers refused.  They beat and killed the servants that had been sent to them.  The landowner finally sent his son, thinking the tenants would have to respect him.  But, in an attempt to hoard the vineyards produce for themselves, the tenants killed the son … and sealed their own fate, for the landowner would come in force to inflict justice.  Jesus made the point that in rejecting Him and His call for sincere repentance, the leaders of Israel rejected God’s bridge to the future (the New Covenant). “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”  How many times have men and women in our own day taken the lives of their heirs – their sons and daughters – in the hope of holding onto, or achieving, some level of economic “security”?  They did not see how their children were the true riches that God wished to bestow upon them.
* Shane Kapler is the author of “The God Who is Love: Explaining Christianity From Its Center” and the newly released “Through, With, and In Him: The Prayer Life of Jesus and How to Make It Our Own.”  Shane is online at www.explainingchristianity.com.

Faith Challenge:   During this Friday of Lent, pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for fathers and mothers who have aborted children.  Pray that they recognize their sin and turn to Jesus to be forgiven.   “Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world … For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”
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Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, LifeNews, American Family, Vatican, Project Rachel.

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. Enda
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Faith Quote:  “The stone that the builder rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes.” ~ Ps 118:22-23

Through Christ our Lord,
Shane