2016 Feb 26 Fri: Lenten Weekday===================================================A reading from the book of GenesisGn 37: 3-4. 12-13a. 17b-28a===================================================[3] Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves. [4] But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.[12] Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near Shechem. [13] And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." [17] So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. [18] They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. [19] They said to one another, "Here comes this dreamer. [20] Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild beast has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams." [21] But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life." [22] And Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; cast him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him" -- that he might rescue him out of their hand, to restore him to his father. [23] So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; [24] and they took him and cast him into a pit. The pit was empty, there was no water in it. [25] Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ish'maelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. [26] Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? [27] Come, let us sell him to the Ish'maelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers heeded him. [28] Then Mid'ianite traders passed by; and they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ish'maelites for twenty shekels of silver.The Word of the Lord==============================================From Psalm 105Ps 105: 16-17. 18-19. 20-21==============================================Remember the wonderful works that the Lord has done[16] When the Lord summoned a famine on the land,and broke every staff of bread,[17] he had sent a man ahead of them,Joseph, who was sold as a slave.Remember the wonderful works that the Lord has done [18] His feet were hurt with fetters,his neck was put in a collar of iron;[19] until what he had said came to passthe word of the LORD tested him.Remember the wonderful works that the Lord has done [20] The king sent and released him,the ruler of the peoples set him free;[21] he made him lord of his house,and ruler of all his possessions.Remember the wonderful works that the Lord has done==============================================A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew Mt 21: 33-43. 45-46==============================================[33] Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: "Hear another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. [34] When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; [35] and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. [36] Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them. [37] Afterward he sent his son to them, saying, `They will respect my son.' [38] But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, `This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.' [39] And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. [40] When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" [41] They said to him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons." [42] Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures: `The very stone which the builders rejectedhas become the head of the corner;this was the Lord's doing,and it is marvelous in our eyes'?[43] Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it." [45] When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. [46] But when they tried to arrest him, they feared the multitudes, because they held him to be a prophet.The Gospel of the Lord