Friday of the Second Week in Lent

Today's Mass Readings

Jesus is often compared to Old Testament characters. Two of the best-known are the comparison St. Paul makes between Jesus and Adam (Jesus is the second Adam), and the comparison made between Jesus and King David. Today’s readings set up a parallel between Joseph and Jesus. This may seem a bit odd, especially if a person is a bit unfamiliar with the Joseph story. Adam was the first human, David was the great Israelite king, but what does Joseph have to do with Jesus? In Genesis chapter 30, we find that Rachel, beloved wife of Jacob, has finally given birth to a son named Joseph. Jacob had plenty of children by his other wife and his two concubines, but he grew to love Joseph the best, as today’s passage says (Genesis 37:3-4). The rest of the passage (Genesis 37:12-13, 17-28) from today recounts how Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery for twenty pieces of silver. If we were to continue from here and read the rest of the story about Joseph, we would find that he is sold into slavery in Egypt but eventually (after all sorts of trials and tribulations) becomes head steward in Egypt, essentially doing a job a tiny bit like today’s secretary of agriculture. He is second in command.

A few points to take note of, then: 1) Joseph is favored, but by the standards of those days, he shouldn’t be, because he is not only NOT the firstborn son, but he is the son of Jacob’s SECOND wife; 2) Joseph is sold into slavery for twenty silver pieces; 3) Joseph is eventually highly favored in Egypt. From abject poverty, he becomes second in command to the king.

Jesus is a bit like Joseph. He is the Son of God, born from a nearly forgotten people in a backwater province – not unlike Joseph being born of a second wife. Jesus is sold for thirty silver pieces into the hands of the people who eventually condemn him to death. The poor and humble carpenter Jesus is the savior of the world.

But to make the connection more plain, the parable Jesus tells in today’s gospel (Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46) features a vineyard owner, usually seen as like God in this story, while Jesus is seen as akin to the vineyard owner’s son. The people rage against the tenant’s son, seeking to put him to death. Then Jesus discusses the parable further by speaking these words from Psalm 118:22: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

Jesus’ parable and Joseph’s story are to be reminders to us during Lent that does great things from the least-likely people – even from the people who appear to be doomed to death. If for you, Lent is becoming a struggle and if you are beginning to wonder by now how the small sacrifices you are making in your Lenten fast has anything at all to do with love, peace and justice – take heart! Today’s verses remind us that seemingly small things have a tendency to be forgotten by the world, but used in large ways by God.

- Jana M. Bennett