Today’s Gospel reading might call to mind the expression “don’t shoot the messenger,” which is exactly what happens when the vineyard owner sends out emissaries in his name—including his own son—to collect what is due to him. For two thousand years, all over the world, messengers of Christ have been sent out “to all the nations” to proclaim the holy name of Jesus Christ and yet have been the victims of intense persecution, particularly in the Middle East. The word “gospel” means “good news,” and yet it is news that can seem threatening to those who have closed their hearts to the mercy and love of Christ.
In your life today, how are you a messenger and herald of the Gospel? What piece of Gospel news did you initially reject in your life that has now become “the cornerstone” of your faith?
—Julianne Stanz is a speaker, writer and mother of two, originally from Ireland. She currently serves as Director of the New Evangelization for the Diocese of Green Bay, WI.