Today’s epistle reading is from the first letter of St. Peter, chapter one, verses one through two, verses ten through twelve, and chapter two, verses six through ten.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when he testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.

Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on him will by no means be put to shame.” Therefore, to you who believe, he is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

About today’s epistle reading, a philosopher from the sixth century, named Oecumenius, wrote these words:

God is not to be held responsible for this, for no cause of damnation can come from him who wants everyone to be saved. It is they who have made themselves into vessels of wrath, and unbelief has followed naturally from that. Therefore, they have been established in the order for which they have prepared themselves. For if a human being is made with free will, that free will cannot be forced, nor can anyone accuse him who has decreed their fate of having done anything to them which they did not fully deserve as a result of their own actions.

Today’s gospel reading is from St. Mark, chapter twelve, verses one through twelve.

Then he began to speak to them in parables:

A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some. Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those vinedressers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.

Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not even read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

And they sought to lay hands on him, but feared the multitude, for they knew he had spoken the parable against them. So they left him and went away.

About today’s gospel reading, the Blessed Augustine writes:

But how will you ensure that the inheritance will be yours? Merely because you killed him? Hold on. You in fact did kill him, yet the inheritance is still not yours. Did you not recall the psalm which says, “I lie down in sleep,” and then adds, “I wake again”? Did you miss that point? While you were gloating that you had killed him, he was sleeping. The psalm says, “I slept. Just while they were raging and will kill me, what was I doing? I slept. And if I had not willed it, I would not even have slept, for I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it up again.” So let the oppressors rage. Let the earth even be given into the hands of the wicked. Let the flesh be left to the hands of persecutors. Let them suspend him on wood with nails, transfixed, pierced with a spear. The One who lies down and sleeps simply adds, “I rise again.”

Possessing the foundation of the holy apostles, let us be built up into a holy temple in the Lord, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.

Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us: to him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.