Jesus as Living Parable – Reflection on Mark 12:1-12
Jesus quotes from the Psalms of the reshaping what was unworthy into a cornerstone. God knows what will become great, peace-filled, or loved outside our understanding. If we reject someone without fully understanding their purpose in life or if our judgment of a situation is clouded by unsupported supposition, we have not accepted Jesus as living parable. On numerous occasions throughout my life, I have incorrectly avoided someone because I likely mis-judged them. Yet, with forgiveness in mind, during deep prayer, the Lord exposes the past not to shame me but to allow me to accept imperfections in myself and others. Without Jesus’s help, I would not be willing to let God continue to reshape me.
The Corner Stone by James Tissot, painting at full resolution.
More details are available on the Brooklyn Museum website
Additional Ordinary Time Reflections
Mark 121-12 – Scripture*
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
12 Then he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watchtower; then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. 2 When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4 And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted. 5 Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others 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 So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What then 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 this scripture:
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
11 this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is amazing in our eyes’?”
12 When they realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left him and went away.
Additional Thoughts
Thank you for meditating on this Gospel and reading this Lectio Divina on Mark 12:1-12 – Jesus as Living Parable.
Would you like to contribute related thoughts to these Lectio reflections on the Gospel readings? Since Lectio is not the only contemplative prayer style, others might appreciate these types of expressions in this ministry. Do you see God’s grandeur everywhere and unconditionally enjoy sharing the love of Christ that you have inside? Are you willing to be anonymous in what you would share? If so, email me.
Prayer for young families:
Lord, let the young families of our communities get to know your joy, peace, comfort, and love despite worldly distractions.
Attributions
*This site has permission to use the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) Bible Mark 12 passage.
The Immersive Prayer website follows the guidelines for image web use at the Brooklyn Museum and the Jewish Museum websites.
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