Christ Our Cornerstone

A reflection on the Gospel of Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46, 1 March 2024

Open the gates of righteousness; I will enter and thank the LORD. This is the LORD’s own gate, through it the righteous enter. I thank you for you answered me; you have been my savior. The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad. LORD, grant salvation! LORD, grant good fortune! (Psalm 118:19–25)

     In the Gospel today, Jesus refers to Psalm 118 in describing Himself as the cornerstone of the gate of righteousness. As the Pharisees know, the cornerstone in Psalm 118 refers to the Messiah. Yet, He is the stone upon which they stumble. Woe to anyone who depends on anything other than Christ as the cornerstone of their life. They will trip over it! “The one who falls on this stone will be dashed to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.” (Matthew 21:44 NABRE)

     The cornerstone to which Sacred Scripture refers, has two architectural meanings. In one meaning, it is the stone at the center of a gate or arch sometimes referred to as a keystone. This one stone bears the weight of two opposing sides such that the gate or arch does not crumble and fall. In another meaning, the cornerstone refers to the stone in a new building which the builder lays first to ensure a straight and level foundation. It sits where the two walls join and so it is also the stone which interlocks the walls so that they stand. Without this stone being well set, it is just a matter of time until the wall or walls fail. A cornerstone is the singular stone upon which a building or a gate depends.

     In ancient buildings, because of its architectural importance, the cornerstone often has the name of the ruler, or influential patron who commissioned the building or gate, carved into it. Even today, the cornerstone of any building is laid with great ceremony. Without a well-chosen and well-laid corner stone, the building soon crumbles under its own weight.

     Jesus tells the Pharisees that they, like the evil tenants in the parable, may kill the vineyard owner’s son to steal the vineyard but, it leads only to their own destruction and the vineyard given to those who serve the Lord. In their own pride and ensuing treachery, the Pharisees reject the perfect cornerstone and choose another with which to hold their own theology together. This cornerstone fails, as the Lord repeatedly demonstrates. Their manmade cornerstone of self-righteousness constantly crumbles under the weight of their own inability to live as they proclaim. In rejecting the Christ, they are left outside the crumbled walls of their own making while those who build their faith on Christ, the perfect cornerstone, enter righteousness. For the Lord has done this and it is wonderful in our eyes.

     Today’s Gospel reading calls us to carefully reflect on where Christ is in our life. Is He the cornerstone that holds everything together? Does all that we do intersect in, and depend on, Jesus? Is it His strength we count on? How often do we, through fear, pride, ambition, a thirst for power, or some other addiction to sin choose another stone to set the walls of our life? We know with certainty, that if we choose anything other than our Lord, Jesus becomes,

“A stone that will make people stumble, and a rock that will make them fall. They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.” (1 Peter 2:8 NABRE)

    Set your life on the true and eternal cornerstone. It is Christ who is true strength. It is our Lord who through His passion, death, and resurrection opens for us the gates to salvation. It is truly wonderful in our eyes. Wonderful does not just mean “good” or “very good” but “full of surprise.” Those surprises are for us, those moments of grace through prayer, fasting or almsgiving where we meet Christ our cornerstone and rejoice in His strength.

     Also recall that every building depends on many stones. It depends upon the diversity of gifts (in all shapes and sizes), the strength, and love of all who have set Christ as their cornerstone. Allow your love to form the mortar that helps fix each stone you encounter firmly into place.

Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God, and, like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
(1 Peter 2:4–5 NABRE)