Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
“Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it,
dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned.
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
Finally, he sent his son to them,
thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,
‘This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’
They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?”
They answered him,
“He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times.”
Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures:

The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?

Therefore, I say to you,
the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,
they knew that he was speaking about them.
And although they were attempting to arrest him,
they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

How clearly Jesus made it known to the Pharisees, and how clearly he makes it known to us spouses today as well.
Am I aware of the gift the Lord has given me? Am I aware that a gift cannot be hidden or ignored, and that it requires a task? What am I doing with the gift of my spouse and the gift of my marriage? Am I bearing fruit with these gifts?
I must be like a good farmer who produces fruit from what the Lord has entrusted to him. Am I being a good farmer?

Brought Down to Married Life

Jack: Lucy, I’ve been thinking, and I don’t think I’m doing everything I should for you or for our marriage.
Lucy: You know what, Jack? I feel a bit the same… I think I should love you better than I have until now.
Jack: The other day during prayer, the Lord made me see how wonderful it is to have you, and that I should give myself much more, because I wasn’t valuing enough the gift God gave me in you.
Lucy: Thank you, Jack. Your words are beautiful. I also want to do my part, so if I ever fail to treat you with God’s love, tell me so I can do better.
Jack: I will! Thank you so much. How good the Lord is, who loves us so much!

Mother

Teach us to be fruitful and draw us closer to your Son so that we may bear abundant fruit. Praised be the Lord!