Thursday of the Sixteenth Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 398
Lectionary: 398
This word of the LORD came to me:
Go, cry out this message for Jerusalem to hear!
I remember the devotion of your youth,
how you loved me as a bride,
Following me in the desert,
in a land unsown.
Sacred to the LORD was Israel,
the first fruits of his harvest;
Should any presume to partake of them,
evil would befall them, says the LORD.
When I brought you into the garden land
to eat its goodly fruits,
You entered and defiled my land,
you made my heritage loathsome.
The priests asked not,
“Where is the LORD?”
Those who dealt with the law knew me not:
the shepherds rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,
and went after useless idols.
Be amazed at this, O heavens,
and shudder with sheer horror, says the LORD.
Two evils have my people done:
they have forsaken me, the source of living waters;
They have dug themselves cisterns,
broken cisterns, that hold no water.
Go, cry out this message for Jerusalem to hear!
I remember the devotion of your youth,
how you loved me as a bride,
Following me in the desert,
in a land unsown.
Sacred to the LORD was Israel,
the first fruits of his harvest;
Should any presume to partake of them,
evil would befall them, says the LORD.
When I brought you into the garden land
to eat its goodly fruits,
You entered and defiled my land,
you made my heritage loathsome.
The priests asked not,
“Where is the LORD?”
Those who dealt with the law knew me not:
the shepherds rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,
and went after useless idols.
Be amazed at this, O heavens,
and shudder with sheer horror, says the LORD.
Two evils have my people done:
they have forsaken me, the source of living waters;
They have dug themselves cisterns,
broken cisterns, that hold no water.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 36:6-7AB, 8-9, 10-11
R. (10a) With
you is the fountain of life, O Lord.
O LORD, your mercy reaches to heaven;
your faithfulness, to the clouds.
Your justice is like the mountains of God;
your judgments, like the mighty deep.
R. With you is the fountain of life, O Lord.
How precious is your mercy, O God!
The children of men take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They have their fill of the prime gifts of your house;
from your delightful stream you give them to drink.
R. With you is the fountain of life, O Lord.
For with you is the fountain of life,
and in your light we see light.
Keep up your mercy toward your friends,
your just defense of the upright of heart.
R. With you is the fountain of life, O Lord.
O LORD, your mercy reaches to heaven;
your faithfulness, to the clouds.
Your justice is like the mountains of God;
your judgments, like the mighty deep.
R. With you is the fountain of life, O Lord.
How precious is your mercy, O God!
The children of men take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They have their fill of the prime gifts of your house;
from your delightful stream you give them to drink.
R. With you is the fountain of life, O Lord.
For with you is the fountain of life,
and in your light we see light.
Keep up your mercy toward your friends,
your just defense of the upright of heart.
R. With you is the fountain of life, O Lord.
AlleluiaSEE MT 11:25
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 13:10-17
The disciples approached Jesus and said,
“Why do you speak to the crowd 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.”
“Why do you speak to the crowd 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.”
Meditation: "Many longed to hear what you hear"
Do you want to grow in your knowledge of God? Saint
Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) once said: "I believe, in order to
understand; and I understand, the better to believe." Both faith and
understanding are gifts of the Holy Spirit that enable us to hear God's word
with clarity so we can know God better and grow in the knowledge of his love
and truth. Jesus, however, had to warn his disciples that not everyone would
understand his teaching.
Closed hearts - prejudiced minds
The prophet Isaiah had warned that some would hear God's word, but not believe, some would see God's actions and miracles, and remained unconvinced. Ironically some of the greatest skeptics of Jesus' teaching and miracles were the learned scribes and Pharisess who prided themselves on their knowledge of scripture, especially on the law of Moses. They heard Jesus' parables and saw the great signs and miracles which he performed, but they refused to accept both Jesus and his message. How could they "hear and never understand" and "see but never perceive"? They were spiritually blind and deaf because their hearts were closed and their minds were blocked by pride and prejudice. How could a man from Galilee, the supposed son of a carpenter, know more about God and his word, than these experts who devoted their lives to the study and teaching of the law of Moses?
The prophet Isaiah had warned that some would hear God's word, but not believe, some would see God's actions and miracles, and remained unconvinced. Ironically some of the greatest skeptics of Jesus' teaching and miracles were the learned scribes and Pharisess who prided themselves on their knowledge of scripture, especially on the law of Moses. They heard Jesus' parables and saw the great signs and miracles which he performed, but they refused to accept both Jesus and his message. How could they "hear and never understand" and "see but never perceive"? They were spiritually blind and deaf because their hearts were closed and their minds were blocked by pride and prejudice. How could a man from Galilee, the supposed son of a carpenter, know more about God and his word, than these experts who devoted their lives to the study and teaching of the law of Moses?
The humble of heart receive understanding
There is only one thing that can open a closed, confused, and divided mind - a broken heart and humble spirit! The word disciple means one who is willing to learn and ready to submit to the wisdom and truth which comes from God. Psalm 119 expresses the joy and delight of a disciple who loves God's word and who embraces it with trust and obedience. "Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation." (Psalm 119:97-99)
There is only one thing that can open a closed, confused, and divided mind - a broken heart and humble spirit! The word disciple means one who is willing to learn and ready to submit to the wisdom and truth which comes from God. Psalm 119 expresses the joy and delight of a disciple who loves God's word and who embraces it with trust and obedience. "Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation." (Psalm 119:97-99)
Listen with reverence and faith
God can only reveal the secrets of his kingdom to the humble and trusting person who acknowledges their need for God and for his truth. The parables of Jesus will enlighten us if we approach them with an open mind and heart, ready to let them challenge us. If we approach God's word with indifference, skepticism, and disbelief, then we, too, may "hear but not understand" and "see but not perceive." God's word can only take root in a receptive heart that is ready to believe and willing to submit. If we want to hear and to understand God's word, we must listen with reverence and faith. Do you believe God's word and do you submit to it with trust and reverence?
God can only reveal the secrets of his kingdom to the humble and trusting person who acknowledges their need for God and for his truth. The parables of Jesus will enlighten us if we approach them with an open mind and heart, ready to let them challenge us. If we approach God's word with indifference, skepticism, and disbelief, then we, too, may "hear but not understand" and "see but not perceive." God's word can only take root in a receptive heart that is ready to believe and willing to submit. If we want to hear and to understand God's word, we must listen with reverence and faith. Do you believe God's word and do you submit to it with trust and reverence?
Jerome, an early church
bible scholar who lived between 342-419 AD, wrote: "You are reading [the
scriptures]? No.Your betrothed is talking to you. It is your betrothed, that
is, Christ, who is united with you. He tears you away from the solitude of the
desert and brings you into his home, saying to you, 'Enter into the joy of your
Master.'"
"Holy Spirit, be my teacher and guide. Open my
ears to hear God's word and open my eyes to understand God's action in my life.
May my heart never grow dull and may my ears never tire of listening to the voice
of Christ."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Ears that refuse to hear, by Hilary of
Poitiers (315-367 AD)
"Faith perceives the mysteries of the kingdom. A
person will make progress in those things he has been immersed in and will
abound with an increase in that progress. But in those things he has not been
immersed in, even that which he has shall be taken away from him. In other
words, he suffers the loss of the law from the loss of his faith. Lacking
faith, the people of the law lost even the efficacy of the law. Therefore,
gospel faith receives a perfect gift, because it enriches with new fruit those
things that have been undertaken. But once it is rejected, even the help of
one's former means of support is taken away. (excerpt from a commentary ON MATTHEW 13.2)
THURSDAY, JULY 21, MATTHEW 13:10-17
Weekday
(Jeremiah 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13; Psalm 36)
Weekday
(Jeremiah 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13; Psalm 36)
KEY VERSE: "Blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear" (v 16).
TO KNOW: Jesus often spoke to the crowds in parables (Hebrew, mashal), making a comparison of common things to impart a moral lesson. These figures of speech encouraged his audience to discover the meaning of his words. Only those who were open to the divine mysteries could understand the plan of God revealed in Jesus. Stubborn nonbelievers were blind and deaf to his message. They fulfilled the words of the prophet Isaiah: "They look but do not truly see. They listen but do not really hear" (Is 6:9-10). The disciples were blessed because they believed what they saw and heard, and they would grow even more so in their understanding of God's reign. The prophets and righteous people of old longed to see and hear that which the disciples of Jesus were privileged to witness.
TO LOVE: Am I able to help others understand the revealed word of God?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to comprehend the mysteries you came to reveal.
Optional Memorial of Saint
Lawrence of Brindisi, priest and doctor of the Church
Lawrence of Brindisi joined the Capuchin Friars at age 16. Ordained a priest, he taught theology and served as linguist and military chaplain. Lawrence rallied the German princes to fight the Turks, and was asked to lead the army into battle carrying no weapon but a crucifix. The Turks were completely defeated. Lawrence was made Master General of his order in 1602. As a Diplomat, he carried out important and successful peace missions to Munich and Madrid. Lawrence was an effective and forceful preacher, and writer of catechisms. In 1956, the Capuchin order compiled fifteen volumes of his sermons, letters and writings. He was proclaimed Apostolic Doctor of the Church by Pope John XXIII in 1959.
Thursday 21 July 2016
Thu
21st. St Lawrence of Brindisi
Jeremiah
2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13. You are the source of life, O Lord—Ps 35(36):6-11. Matthew 13:10-17.
'But
blessed are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear'.
We
all have moments of insight and moments of blindness, moments of openness and
moments of shutting ourselves off from the wisdom and light of God. In those
moments of blindness, we simply do not 'get' what God is saying to us in
parables. But in those moments of desire for truth, parables gently reveal to
us the face of the God whom we seek. Jesus' parables were not intended to exclude
people, but rather to reveal God. However, Jesus also knew that not everyone
would be receptive to the Good News. May we continually open our hearts to God
so that we may see and hear the Good News of salvation in our lives.
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
|
Joyful Singing
|
Teach me to sing again of your faithfulness, Gracious One. Open my
mouth to give you praise with exuberant joy. Give me courage, Lord, to speak,
to let my lips declare what I know in my inmost being: I am blessed by your
love.
July 21
St. Lawrence of Brindisi
(1559-1619)
St. Lawrence of Brindisi
(1559-1619)
At
first glance perhaps the most remarkable quality of Lawrence of Brindisi is his
outstanding gift of languages. In addition to a thorough knowledge of his
native Italian, he had complete reading and speaking ability in Latin, Hebrew,
Greek, German, Bohemian, Spanish and French.
He
was born on July 22, 1559, and died exactly 60 years later on his birthday in
1619. His parents William and Elizabeth Russo gave him the name of Julius
Caesar, Caesare in Italian. After the early death of his parents, he was
educated by his uncle at the College of St. Mark in Venice.
When
he was just 16 he entered the Capuchin Franciscan Order in Venice and received
the name of Lawrence. He completed his studies of philosophy and theology at
the University of Padua and was ordained a priest at 23.
With
his facility for languages he was able to study the Bible in its original
texts. At the request of Pope Clement VIII, he spent much time preaching to the
Jews in Italy. So excellent was his knowledge of Hebrew, the rabbis felt sure
he was a Jew who had become a Christian.
In
1956 the Capuchins completed a 15-volume edition of his writings. Eleven of
these 15 contain his sermons, each of which relies chiefly on scriptural
quotations to illustrate his teaching.
Lawrence’s
sensitivity to the needs of people—a character trait perhaps unexpected in such
a talented scholar—began to surface. He was elected major superior of the
Capuchin Franciscan province of Tuscany at the age of 31. He had the
combination of brilliance, human compassion and administrative skill needed to
carry out his duties. In rapid succession he was promoted by his fellow
Capuchins and was elected minister general of the Capuchins in 1602. In this
position he was responsible for great growth and geographical expansion of the
Order.
Lawrence
was appointed papal emissary and peacemaker, a job which took him to a number
of foreign countries. An effort to achieve peace in his native kingdom of
Naples took him on a journey to Lisbon to visit the king of Spain. Serious
illness in Lisbon took his life in 1619.
Comment:
His constant devotion to Scripture, coupled with great sensitivity to the needs of people, present a lifestyle which appeals to Christians today. Lawrence had a balance in his life that blended self-discipline with a keen appreciation for the needs of those whom he was called to serve.
His constant devotion to Scripture, coupled with great sensitivity to the needs of people, present a lifestyle which appeals to Christians today. Lawrence had a balance in his life that blended self-discipline with a keen appreciation for the needs of those whom he was called to serve.
Quote:
“God is love, and all his operations proceed from love. Once he wills to manifest that goodness by sharing his love outside himself, then the Incarnation becomes the supreme manifestation of his goodness and love and glory. So, Christ was intended before all other creatures and for his own sake. For him all things were created and to him all things must be subject, and God loves all creatures in and because of Christ. Christ is the first-born of every creature, and the whole of humanity as well as the created world finds its foundation and meaning in him. Moreover, this would have been the case even if Adam had not sinned” (St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Doctor of the Universal Church, Capuchin Educational Conference, Washington, D.C.).
“God is love, and all his operations proceed from love. Once he wills to manifest that goodness by sharing his love outside himself, then the Incarnation becomes the supreme manifestation of his goodness and love and glory. So, Christ was intended before all other creatures and for his own sake. For him all things were created and to him all things must be subject, and God loves all creatures in and because of Christ. Christ is the first-born of every creature, and the whole of humanity as well as the created world finds its foundation and meaning in him. Moreover, this would have been the case even if Adam had not sinned” (St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Doctor of the Universal Church, Capuchin Educational Conference, Washington, D.C.).
LECTIO DIVINA: MATTHEW
13,10-17
Lectio
Divina:
Thursday,
July 21, 2016
Ordinary
Time
1)
Opening prayer
Lord,
be merciful to your people.
Fill us with your gifts
and make us always eager to serve you
in faith, hope and love.
You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
be merciful to your people.
Fill us with your gifts
and make us always eager to serve you
in faith, hope and love.
You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2)
Gospel Reading - Matthew 13,10-17
Then
the disciples went up to Jesus and asked, 'Why do you talk to them in
parables?' In answer, he said, 'Because to you is granted to understand the
mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not granted. Anyone who
has will be given more and will have more than enough; but anyone who has not
will be deprived even of what he has. The reason I talk to them in parables is
that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding. So
in their case what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah is being fulfilled: Listen
and listen, but never understand! Look and look, but never perceive! This
people's heart has grown coarse, their ears dulled, they have shut their eyes
tight to avoid using their eyes to see, their ears to hear, their heart to
understand, changing their ways and being healed by me.
'But blessed are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear! In truth I tell you, many prophets and upright people longed to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.
3)
Reflection
•
Chapter 13 speaks to us about the discourse of the Parables. Following the text
of Mark (Mk 4,1-34), Matthew omits the parable of the seed which germinates
alone (Mk 4,26-29), and he stops on the discussion of the reason for the
Parable (Mt 13,10-17) adding the parable of the wheat and the darnel (Mt
13,24-30), of the yeast (Mt 13,33), of the treasure (Mt 13,44), of the pearl
(Mt 13,45-46) and of the dragnet (Mt 13,47-50). Together with the parable of
the sower (Mt 13,4-11) and of the mustard seed (Mt 13,31-32), there are seven
parables in the Discourse of the Parables (Mt 13,1-50).
• Matthew 13,10: The question. In the Gospel of Mark, the Disciples ask for an explanation of the parables (Mk 4,10). Here in Matthew, the prospective is diverse. They want to know why Jesus, when he speaks to the people, speaks only in parables: “Why do you talk to them in parables?” Which is the reason for this difference?
• Matthew 13,11-13: “Because to you is granted to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not granted. Anyone who has will be given more and will have more than enough; but anyone who has not will be deprived even of what he has. The reason I speak to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding. Jesus answers: “Because to you is granted to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. Anyone who has will be given more and will have more than enough; but anyone who has not will be deprived even of what he has“. Why is it granted to the Apostles to know and not to others? Here is a comparison to help us to understand. Two persons listen to the mother who teaches: is someone who does not cut and sew”. One of them is the daughter and the other is not. The daughter understands and the other one understands nothing. Why? Because in the house of the mother the expression “cut and sew” means to slander. Thus, the teaching of the mother helps the daughter to understand better how to put into practice love, helping her so that what she already knows may grow, develop. Anyone who has will be given more. The other person understands nothing and loses even the little that she knew regarding love and slander. She remains confused and does not succeed in understanding what love has to do with cutting and sewing! Anyone who has not will be deprived even of what he has.A parable reveals and hides at the same time! It reveals for “those who are inside”, who accept Jesus as the Messiah Servant. It hides from those who insist in saying that the Messiah will be and should be a Glorious King. These understand the image presented by the parable, but they do not succeed to understand the significance. The Disciples, instead grow in what they already know concerning the Messiah. The others do not understand anything and lose even the little that they thought they knew on the Kingdom and on the Messiah.
• Matthew 13,14-15: ”The fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah. Just like some other time (Mt 12,18-21), in this different reaction of the people and of the Pharisees before the teaching of the parables, Matthew again sees here the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah. He even quotes at length the text of Isaiah which says: “Listen and listen, but never understand! Look and look, but never perceive! This people’s heart has grown coarse, their ears dulled, they have shut their eyes tight to avoid using their eyes to see, their ears to hear, their heart to understand, changing their ways and being healed by me”.
• Matthew 13,16-17: “But blessed are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear“. All this explains the last phrase: “But blessed are your eyes because they see your ears because they hear. In truth I tell you, many prophets and upright people longed to see what you see and never saw it, to hear what you hear and never heard it!”
• The Parables: a new way of speaking to the people about God.People remained impressed about the way in which Jesus taught. “A new way of teaching! Given with authority! Different from that of the Scribes! (Mk 7,28). Jesus had a great capacity for finding very simple images to compare the things of God with the things of life which people knew and experienced in the daily struggle to survive. This presupposes two things: to be inside the things of the life of the people, and to be inside the things of God, of the Kingdom of God. In some parables there are things that happen and that seldom arrive in life. For example, when has it ever happened that a shepherd, who has one hundred sheep, abandons the flock with 99 to go and look for the lost sheep? (Lk 15,4). Where have we ever seen a father who accepts with joy and a feast his son who had squandered all his goods, without saying a word of reproach to him? (Lk 15,20-24). When has it been seen that a Samaritan man is better than a Levite, than a priest? (Lk 10,29-37). The parable makes one think. It leads the person to enter into the story beginning from the experience of life. And through our experience it urges us to discover that God is present in our daily life. The parable is a participative form of teaching and of educating. It does not change everything in one minute. It does not make one know, it makes one discover. The parable changes our look, it renders the person who listens to be a contemplative, it helps her to observe reality. This is the novelty of the teaching of the parables of Jesus, different from that of the doctors who taught that God manifests himself only in the observance of the law. “The Kingdom is present in your midst” (Lk 17,21). But those who listened did not always understand.
4)
Personal questions
•
Jesus says: “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the Kingdom”.
When I read the Gospels am I like those who understand nothing or like those to
whom it has been granted to know the Kingdom?
• Which is the parable of Jesus with which I identify myself more? Why?
• Which is the parable of Jesus with which I identify myself more? Why?
5)
Concluding Prayer
Yahweh,
your faithful love is in the heavens,
your constancy reaches to the clouds,
your saving justice is like towering mountains,
your judgements like the mighty deep. (Ps 36,5-6)
your constancy reaches to the clouds,
your saving justice is like towering mountains,
your judgements like the mighty deep. (Ps 36,5-6)
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