Rejected Cornerstone

Then Jesus 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. When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted. Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed. He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this scripture:
‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is amazing in our eyes’?” Mark 12:1-11 

In this world bigger and better rules, and small and unnoticed are slated for destruction. We are a disposable society, and often throw away things because we are bored with them. Plenty of use, but we think since we don't want it anymore, neither would anyone else. We miss some incredible beauty and passion because of our greed and need for new. And we can overlook the precious, tender love when we reject people because of looks, accents or origins.

Jesus tells his disciples a parable about the Vineyard owner, who is patient beyond belief. And yet, the folks in the parable, refuse to recognize the blessings they have, and want more. And in their wanting more they are moved to violence and destruction, throwing away the good in their greed. We are invited by God to see that the incarnate love of God dwells most often in the rejected, the outcast, the unwanted. In this Holy Week, we are invited to seek the hidden precious, the priceless love we might just throw away in our carelessness.

Today, I ask God to help me see the hidden in the every day. May we recognize the blessings right in front of us, and know that God is dwelling among the most unlikely people and places.