“The
humble listen to their brothers and sisters because they assume they have
something to learn. They are open to correction, and they become wiser through
it.” ― Thomas Dubay: (1921 –2010),
was an American Catholic priest, author, and retreat director. He wrote over 20
books on Catholic spirituality)
Gospel
Text: (MT 13:1-23)
On that day, Jesus went out of the
house and sat down by the sea.
Such large crowds gathered around him
that he got into a boat and sat down,
and the whole crowd stood along the
shore.
And he spoke to them at length in
parables, saying:
"A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the
path,
and birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it
had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil
was not deep,
and when the sun rose it was scorched,
and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the
thorns grew up and choked it.
But some seed fell on rich soil, and
produced fruit,
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Whoever has ears ought to hear."
The disciples approached him and said,
"Why do you speak to them in
parables?"
He said to them in reply,
"Because knowledge of the
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you, but to them
it has not been granted.
To anyone who has, more will be given
and he will grow rich;
from anyone who has not, even what he
has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in
parables, because
they look but do not see and hear
but do not listen or understand.
Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in
them, which says:
You shall indeed hear but not
understand,
you shall indeed look but never
see.
Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their
ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts
and be converted,
and I heal them.
"But blessed are your eyes,
because they see,
and your ears, because they hear.
Amen, I say to you, many prophets and
righteous people
longed to see what you see but did not
see it,
and to hear what you hear but did not
hear it.
"Hear then the parable of the
sower.
The seed sown on the path is the one
who hears the word of the kingdom
without understanding it,
and the evil one comes and steals away
what was sown in his heart.
The seed sown on rocky ground
is the one who hears the word and
receives it at once with joy.
But he has no root and lasts only for
a time.
When some tribulation or persecution
comes because of the word,
he immediately falls away.
The seed sown among thorns is the one
who hears the word,
but then worldly anxiety and the lure
of riches choke the word
and it bears no fruit.
But the seed sown on rich soil
is the one who hears the word and
understands it,
who indeed bears fruit and yields a
hundred or sixty or thirtyfold."
The message is clear. Despite
some failures, the soil ultimately succeeds. The harvest grows.
There is no mention of the weather, i.e. rain, water, sun shine, etc.
This is a story of the inevitability of the Reign of God! No matter the
conditions the soil will yield success.
The point here is that success happens
in spite of frustrations. The parable brings light and truth to those with
faith. The reign of God is made present in the ministry of Christ.
The Armenians have this understanding
of parables. “Three apples fall from a tree. The first is for the teller
of the story, the second is for the listener of story, and the third is for the
one who takes it to heart!
Those who have ears should listen……….
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