“Standing for Truth with Humility” Lenten Reflections (Third Friday)

 “Standing for Truth with Humility”

Lenten Reflections (Third Friday)

Jacob Mascarenhas

Third Friday of Lent

“Standing for Truth with Humility”

Dear Readers,

The Third Friday of Lent invites us once again into a moment of deep reflection, where the words of Jesus challenge us to look honestly at our hearts and the way we respond to the gifts that God has entrusted to us. In today’s Gospel from Matthew, Jesus speaks to the chief priests and elders through the parable of the vineyard. It is a story that seems simple at first, yet it carries a profound message about responsibility, humility, and the danger of allowing pride to blind us to the truth.

Jesus describes a master who carefully prepares a vineyard. He plants it with care, surrounds it with a fence, builds a tower, and even digs a wine press so that the vineyard can bear fruit. Everything needed for growth and abundance is lovingly provided. Then he entrusts the vineyard to tenants and leaves for another country. When the time of harvest approaches, he sends servants to collect the fruit that rightfully belongs to him. Yet instead of welcoming the servants, the tenants respond with violence. One servant is beaten, another is killed, and another is stoned. Even when more servants are sent, they are treated with the same cruelty. Finally, the master sends his own son, believing that surely they will respect him. But the tenants, consumed by greed and entitlement, plot together and say, “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.” They throw him out of the vineyard and kill him.

Through this parable, Jesus reveals something deeply unsettling about the human heart. The tenants were never the owners of the vineyard; they were only caretakers. Yet somewhere along the way, they began to believe the vineyard belonged to them. What was entrusted to them as a responsibility became something they claimed as their possession. Pride slowly replaced gratitude. Entitlement replaced humility. And when confronted with the rightful authority of the owner, they chose violence rather than repentance.

This story is not only about the leaders of a place to whom Jesus originally spoke. It is also a mirror held before each of us. God has entrusted every one of us with a vineyard of our own. Our lives, our talents, our opportunities, our families, and the blessings we receive each day are not things we truly own. They are gifts placed in our care. Yet it is easy to forget this. Over time, we can begin to act as though everything we have belongs solely to us. We become protective, possessive, and sometimes even arrogant. Instead of asking how we can bear fruit for God and serve others, we begin asking only how these gifts can benefit ourselves.

The parable gently but firmly reminds us that we are stewards, not owners. Everything we have is given freely by God. Our role is not to claim it, but to cultivate it, nurture it, and allow it to bear fruit. Lent is precisely the time when the Lord asks us to pause and examine whether the vineyard of our life is producing that fruit. Are we growing in kindness, humility, generosity, and faith? Are we using our talents to lift others up, or are we guarding them as if they belonged only to us?

There is also another powerful message hidden within the parable. When Jesus speaks about the son being rejected and killed, He is quietly pointing toward His own destiny. The religious leaders listening to Him begin to realise that the story is about them. They are the tenants who have rejected the messengers sent by God, the prophets who came before. And now the Son Himself stands before them. Instead of recognising Him, they feel threatened by Him. The truth often unsettles those who are unwilling to change.

This moment reveals something that has been repeated throughout history. Those who stand for truth and justice are not always welcomed. Sometimes they are misunderstood, opposed, or even rejected. The reflection on Joseph reminds us of this reality as well. Joseph’s faithfulness and obedience led him through betrayal and suffering, yet he remained committed to what was right. In the end, his perseverance revealed that faithfulness to God is never wasted. Even when the path of truth seems lonely or difficult, it ultimately leads to life.

Standing for truth, however, requires more than courage. It also requires humility. Courage without humility can become pride. But humility reminds us that we are servants of something greater than ourselves. When we remember that everything we have comes from God, it changes the way we see others. Instead of competing, we begin to serve. Instead of demanding recognition, we begin to share the gifts we have received.

The words of Jesus about the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone carry a beautiful promise. What the world rejects, God can transform into something foundational and strong. The builders may overlook the stone they consider insignificant, but in God’s plan, that very stone becomes the cornerstone upon which everything else is built. In the same way, God often works through the humble, the overlooked, and the faithful hearts that quietly trust in Him.

On this Third Friday of Lent, the Gospel invites us to rediscover that spirit of humility and responsibility. We are caretakers of a vineyard that belongs to God. Every moment of our lives is an opportunity to bear fruit through compassion, honesty, patience, forgiveness, and faith. When we remember that our lives are gifts entrusted to us, our hearts naturally become more grateful and more generous.

The Church today also remembers Saint Colette of Corbie, a woman whose life reflected deep humility and courage. She dedicated herself to renewal within the Church, encouraging simplicity, prayer, and faithfulness to the Gospel. Her life reminds us that true reform does not begin with power or influence; it begins with a heart that is willing to return to God.

As we continue our Lenten journey, this Gospel gently calls us to reflect on how we are tending the vineyard of our lives. God has planted it with care, surrounded it with His protection, and filled it with possibilities for growth. May we never forget that these blessings are not ours to claim, but gifts to cultivate. And may we have the courage to stand for truth and justice with humility, trusting that the fruits of faithfulness will always belong to God.

God Bless Us All…

Jacob Mascarenhas