From the Friars: The Cornerstone

One of the greatest tragedies of history is the rejection of Jesus by the majority of the leaders of the Jewish people. The great irony of this failure is that it was clearly foretold in Psalm 118. This is the Psalm for the Mass today and also quoted by St. Peter in the first reading. “The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.” (v.22) The experts in the Scriptures unknowingly fulfilled them by rejecting the Messiah. And by doing so He became the cornerstone, the foundation of the Universal Church, the New Jerusalem.

“By the Lord has this been done; it is marvelous in our eyes.” (Psalm 118:23) It is marvelous, not in the sad blindness of the Sanhedrin, but in the power of God manifested by the fulfillment of His plan of salvation. The great victory of Jesus took place not only despite opposition, but by the very means of the rebellion against Him.

Our Lord Himself quotes these verses of Psalm 118 in Mt 21 to clarify the meaning of the parable of the wicked tenants. He adds: “And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but when it falls on anyone, it will crush Him.” (Mt 21:44) He is referring to Isaiah 8:14-15 and Daniel 2. The former says that for those who rebel, the Lord becomes a stumbling stone which will cause them to fall.

Daniel 2 tells of the stone cut from a mountain, but not by human hands, that breaks to pieces the great empires of this world and becomes an everlasting Kingdom that fills the whole earth. Here we have a powerful example of Jesus teaching how the Scriptures are fulfilled in Himself. He also shows how the many books of the bible all point to the same Truth, and always complement each other.

The next time we pick up a stone we should try to remember the great symbolic meaning of something so simple and small. And we should remind ourselves of the One Who should be the foundation stone of our lives, lest we stumble, fall and be crushed.

God bless you,
— Fr. Peter