Tobit 1 : 3; 2 : 1 – 8 / Ps. 111 : 1 – 6 / Mk. 12 : 1 -12

In today’s reading Jesus tells the story of the wicked and evil tenants. From this narrative, it is mentioned that the tenants who had leased a vineyard and its plots from its owner had defaulted on their dues they were supposed pay for the lease.

They refused the efforts from the master of the vineyard to collect his due payment, even harassing, persecuting and murdering all those servants who had been sent to remind them. The vineyard owner had invested a great deal in his vineyard, yet when he sent his servants to collect his legitimate share of the produce the tenants beat them up and even killed some of them.

Jesus in this gospel is really foretelling the story of the rejection of God’s messengers, the prophets, culminating in the rejection of God’s Son by the religious leaders.

Jesus declares there that his rejection by the religious and political leaders of Jerusalem did not in any way thwart God’s purpose. God continued to work powerfully through Jesus at the very moment when his mission seemed an abject failure.

Brethren, you may be a victim of lies, deceit, gossip, hatred and betrayal; I want to humbly encourage you to keep a pure heart and trust me you are going to win at the end. The secret is that “He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep”.

Please we are being reminded that God’s good purpose continues to work itself out even in and through those negative experiences in our lives that are not God’s direct will for us, that is, the experiences of rejection and failure. Let us therefore keep faithful and keep turning to the Lord.

In doing this, we need to strive hard to stay upright in our lives as Tobit and others had done before us, and not to give in to the temptations of worldly desires and greed, all of which can lead us down the slippery slope of sin and evil, that will bring us to our downfall, if we are not vigilant and careful.

May the courageous examples of Tobit and other faithful servants of God like St. Boniface inspire us all to also be faithful to God and to be fully dedicated to Him, to give our time and effort and our attention to serve the Lord our God at all times.

Rosary Prayer: Joyful Mysteries

Mass Intentions: Praying for healing and inner peace for all those who suffering from emotional trauma.