Memorial: St. Boniface, Bishop & Martyr

From: Mark 12:1-12

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

[1] And he began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a
vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a pit for the wine press,
and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another
country. [2] When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, to
get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. [3] And they took him
and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. [4] Again he sent to them
another servant, and they wounded him in the head, and treated him
shamefully. [5]And he sent another, and him they killed; and so with
many others, some they beat and some they killed. [6] He had still one
other, a beloved son; finally he sent him to them, saying, 'They will
respect my son.' [7] But those tenants said to one another, 'This is
the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'
[8] And they took him and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
[9] What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy
the tenants, and give the vineyard to others. [10] Have you not read
the scripture: 'The very stone which the builders rejected has become
the head of the corner; [11] this was the Lord's doing, and it is
marvelous in our eyes'?" [12] And they tried to arrest him but feared
the multitude, for they perceived that he had told the parable against
them; so they left him and went away.

Commentary:

1-12. This parable is a masterly summary of history of salvation. To
explain the mystery of his redemptive death, Jesus makes use of one of
the most beautiful allegories of the Old Testament the so-called "song
of the vineyard," in which Isaiah (5:1-7) prophesied Israel's
ingratitude for God's favors. On the basis of this Isaiah text, Jesus
reveals the patience of God, who sends one messenger after another--the
prophets of the Old Testament--until at last, as the text says, he
sends "his beloved son", Jesus, whom the tenants will kill. This
_expression, as also that which God himself uses to describe Christ at
Baptism (1:11) and the Transfiguration (9:7), points to the divinity of
Jesus, who is the cornerstone of salvation, rejected by the builders in
their selfishness and pride. To the Jews listening to Jesus telling
this parable, his meaning must have been crystal clear. The rulers
"perceived that he had told the parable against them" (v. 12) and that
it was about the fulfillment of the Isaiah prophecy (cf. note on Mt
21:33-46).

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Mass Readings

First reading	2 Peter 1:2 - 7 ©
May you have more and more grace and peace as you come to know our Lord more and more. By his divine power, he has given us all the things that we need for life and for true devotion, bringing us to know God himself, who has called us by his own glory and goodness. In making these gifts, he has given us the guarantee of something very great and wonderful to come: through them you will be able to share the divine nature and to escape corruption in a world that is sunk in vice. But to attain this, you will have to do your utmost yourselves, adding goodness to the faith that you have, understanding to your goodness, self-control to your understanding, patience to your self-control, true devotion to your patience, kindness towards your fellow men to your devotion, and, to this kindness, love.

First reading

2 Peter 1:2 - 7 ©

May you have more and more grace and peace as you come to know our Lord more and more.
By his divine power, he has given us all the things that we need for life and for true devotion, bringing us to know God himself, who has called us by his own glory and goodness. In making these gifts, he has given us the guarantee of something very great and wonderful to come: through them you will be able to share the divine nature and to escape corruption in a world that is sunk in vice. But to attain this, you will have to do your utmost yourselves, adding goodness to the faith that you have, understanding to your goodness, self-control to your understanding, patience to your self-control, true devotion to your patience, kindness towards your fellow men to your devotion, and, to this kindness, love.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 90

Gospel	Mark 12:1 - 12 ©
Jesus went on to speak to them in parables, ‘A man planted a vineyard; he fenced it round, dug out a trough for the winepress and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce from the vineyard. But they seized the man, thrashed him and sent him away empty-handed. Next he sent another servant to them; him they beat about the head and treated shamefully. And he sent another and him they killed; then a number of others, and they thrashed some and killed the rest. He had still someone left: his beloved son. He sent him to them last of all. “They will respect my son” he said. But those tenants said to each other, “This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him, and the inheritance 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 come and make an end of the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this text of scripture: It was the stone rejected by the builders that became the keystone. This was the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful to see? And they would have liked to arrest him, because they realised that the parable was aimed at them, but they were afraid of the crowds. So they left him alone and went away.

Gospel

Jesus went on to speak to them in parables, ‘A man planted a vineyard; he fenced it round, dug out a trough for the winepress and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce from the vineyard. But they seized the man, thrashed him and sent him away empty-handed. Next he sent another servant to them; him they beat about the head and treated shamefully. And he sent another and him they killed; then a number of others, and they thrashed some and killed the rest. He had still someone left: his beloved son. He sent him to them last of all. “They will respect my son” he said. But those tenants said to each other, “This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him, and the inheritance 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 come and make an end of the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this text of scripture:
It was the stone rejected by the builders
that became the keystone.
This was the Lord’s doing
and it is wonderful to see?

And they would have liked to arrest him, because they realised that the parable was aimed at them, but they were afraid of the crowds. So they left him alone and went away.