How to have faith in Jesus, the cornerstone

Friday of the 2nd week of Lent

Matthew 21:33-43,45-46

This 17th day of Lent, it is getting more apparent that every reading is pointing to the effects of sin as well as to Jesus' salvific action.

Joseph being sold to the Ishmaelites prefigured Judas handing over Jesus to the pharisees for some 30 pieces of silver to be unjustly tried and killed.

The end of sin is ultimately death.  It starts with a pleasurable thought, though skewed to please the self and God.  And whatever process it takes, it ends with a violent action against another, belittling human dignity.  Worse, it veers us away from God.

But God is magnanimous than any of the sin combined.  God's judgment in the gospel is not a result of his anger but rather, it is a natural consequences of the effect of sin - alienation, punishment, and death.

Jesus is much higher than any of these.  "They will respect my son" is a key to resolve this malady - Jesus, "the stone rejected by the builders, is the cornerstone", the basis of life, truth, and meaning.  The stories point out to the salvation that Jesus did for us, not based on anger and hatred, but on love.

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