Genesis 37:3–4, 12–13, 17–28. Psalm 105. Matthew 21:33–43, 45–46.
“The very stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”
Most of us become disheartened by our misfortunes. We feel victimized and hopeless when difficulties multiply, and we lose motivation to deal with the problems at hand.
Jesus encourages us, however, to look at misfortune from a more positive perspective. What the Lord tells us is that every misfortune we endure has a redeeming value. Upsets can be used to advantage, and problems, however painful, can be made productive. Stones can be tossed at us, but we can use them as building material to make a better life for ourselves. The trick is maintaining a positive attitude. As Jesus puts it, “The very stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”
All of us face setbacks and disappointments in different ways. Some people go down in defeat with their misfortunes, while others use their setbacks as important learning experiences. All of us have problems; but the way we handle them makes us happy or unhappy. One married couple, for example, see hopelessness in their differences of opinion and end up in divorce court, while another couple see “variety” in their differences and find enrichment in their relationship.
We need to recognize that every problem we face has a purpose for us or else it wouldn’t be our problem. We are never afflicted with more than we can handle. God never lets a stone fall in our way if we don’t have the ability to pick it up and make it into a cornerstone. There are no such things in life, therefore, as unredeemable mistakes, defeats, or failures, only results that we need to work on to further our development and happiness.
The dreamer Joseph of the Old Testament, as we see in today’s first reading, was sold for twenty silver pieces. But it was Joseph who was instrumental in saving the whole family of Jacob. Jesus, our Lord, who was sold for thirty silver pieces, made the cross the tool of redemption. He made the symbol of shame into a sacrament of salvation for us. This is the merciful surprise for us: our sins, our shame and guilt can become the raw material for our salvation if only we allow God into the picture. “We know that in everything, God works for the good of those who love him.” (Rom 8:28) Nothing is wasted. Everything can be recycled by God’s power. Nothing is ever lost. Everything can be truly transformed into something very beautiful.
Therefore, consider any problem, setback, or misfortune you might be facing at present. Take a moment to look at it for some positive value it might hold for you. What lesson is your pain trying to teach you? Search for an answer rather than getting bogged in depression. Where is the silver lining in the cloud? Work for resolutions instead of lamenting on how such things could be happening to you. Turn stones into cornerstones by focusing on redemptive possibilities. Rather than complaining, “Why me?”, begin asking, “How can this serve me?”
The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom should I fear? The Lord is the rampart of my life; I will not be afraid. (Ps 27:1)
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