Christianity is just Christ—nothing more and nothing less. It is a way of life, and He is that way. It is
the truth about human destiny, and He is that truth.
... R. J. Campbell (1867-1956), The Call of Christ [1932]
(A summons to keep it simple, and first things first.)
|
JER
2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13; PS 36:6-7AB, 8-9, 10-11
MT 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."
Reflection on the Scriptures |
The gospel selection for today has Jesus addressing the disciples’ question of him “Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?” Jesus has just given them the parable of the sower and the seed. He tells the disciples that they are privileged, chosen, blessed even…” 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.”
I’m not sure this answered their question, but I sense that somehow, they were affirmed by his response… that they were moving in the right direction in their understanding of who Jesus was, the “Seed” that was scattered on the earth by
the “Sower”. Their ears were open, and they were listening and understanding. Their eyes were open and they were seeing. Their hearts were open and they were being converted. Who or what helps us to hear and see and understand? Where can we place ourselves where we will be converted and healed?
- by Diane Jorgensen
Revelations of Divine
Love - by Julian of Norwich
Fourteenth Revelation, Chapter 51
“He is the Head, and we be His
members.” “Therefore our Father nor may nor will more blame assign to us than to His own Son, precious and worthy Christ” And yet I marvelled from whence the Servant came. For I saw in the Lord that HE hath within Himself endless life, and all manner of goodness, save that treasure that was in the
earth. And [also] that [treasure] was grounded in the Lord in marvellous deepness of endless love, but it was not all to His worship till the Servant had thus nobly prepared it, and brought it before Him in himself present. And without the Lord was nothing but wilderness. And I understood not all what this example meant, and therefore I marvelled whence the Servant came.
In the Servant is comprehended the Second Person in the Trinity; and in the Servant is comprehended Adam: that is to say, All-Man. And therefore when I say the Son, it meaneth the Godhead which is even with the Father; and when I say the Servant, it meaneth Christ’s Manhood, which is rightful Adam. By the nearness of the Servant is understood the Son, and by the standing on the left side is understood Adam. The Lord is the Father, God; the
Servant is the Son, Christ Jesus; the Holy Ghost is Even Love which is in them both.
|
|
|
