Deacon:  Wisdom. Stand up. Hear the Holy Gospel.

Priest:   Peace to you all. 

People:  And to your spirit.

Deacon: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew [21:33-43]

People:  Glory to You Lord. Glory to You.

Priest:   Listen.

Deacon:

At that time Jesus told another parable.

'There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He fenced it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants, and left the country.

'When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to collect his grapes from the tenants. But the tenants grabbed his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned the third.

'Then he sent some more servants, but a greater number this time. The tenants did the same to them.

'Finally, he sent his son to them. "They will respect my son", he said.

'But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, "This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him, and take over the inheritance."

'So they grabbed him, and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

'Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?'

They answered, 'He will put those wretches to a wretched death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants, who will hand over his grapes to him at harvest.'

Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the scriptures:

   "It was the stone rejected by the builders which became the keystone.

   "This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous to see" ? '

People: Glory to You Lord, Glory to You.