33 “Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. 34 When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. 35 But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’ 39 So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’? 43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. 44 The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.” 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 46They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.
- Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
- Spend 5 to 15 minutes in silent meditation using your deep breathing to guide you.
- What image captures you in this parable?
- Focus on this image. Where are you in the image? in/out? active/passive?
- Where in this image do you see your inheritance?
- Do you feel freedom or bondage around this inheritance?
- Do you need to invite someone or something into the image? or out of the image?
- What is God’s message for you in this image?
- Give thanks to God for grace your inheritance through Jesus Christ and for any new insights you have received today.
- Share as you feel led in the reply box below.
I used your photo of the grapes on a personal, journaling web page. I found your blog through a Google search for images of vineyards, and I appreciate your questions at the end of the reading. I signed up just now for Praying the Lectionary email, and here’s the URL of the page where I used your image: http://www.omnitelcom.com/~rpaxson/countrycache/autumn_day.htm
Thank you!