First reading 2 Peter 1:2-7
You will be able to share the divine nature if you add goodness to your faith
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.
Responsorial Psalm 90(91):1-2,14-16
O my God, I trust in you.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High,
and abides in the shade of the Almighty,
says to the Lord, “My refuge,
my stronghold, my God in whom I trust!”
Since he clings to me in love, I will free him,
Protect him, for he knows my name.
When he calls on me, I will answer him;
I will be with him in distress.
I will deliver him, and give him glory.
With length of days I will content him;
I will show him my saving power.
Gospel Mark 12:1-12
They seized the beloved son, killed him and threw him out of the vineyard
Jesus began to speak to the chief priests, the scribes and the elders 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.
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Growing in virtues
In today’s first reading, St. Peter encourages us to make the daily effort to “add goodness to the faith that you have, understanding to your goodness, self-control to your understanding, patience to your selfcontrol, true devotion to your patience, kindness towards others to your devotion, and to this kindness, love.” Faith is the foundation of all these virtues. It means trusting Jesus deeply, much like stepping out of a boat onto the stormy water when He says, “Come.” Despite uncertainty and fear, we choose to focus on Him. When we are rooted in faith, we are moved to live for others and grow to become more like Christ.
In the Gospel, Jesus shares a parable about tenants who refuse to give the owner the fruit that rightfully belongs to him. Instead, they respond with rejection and violence. Like that owner, God has entrusted us with many gifts: our time, talents, relationships, and life experiences. He gives these not for us to keep for ourselves, but so that our lives may bear good fruit. Today, we are invited to cultivate the virtues mentioned in the first reading, so that we become faithful stewards who use God’s gifts well and can offer back to Him the true “harvest” of our lives.
Reflective question:
How is God inviting me to grow right now so that my life may bear good “fruit” for Him?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
