Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 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.”
Listen and see
1) Parables. Jesus speaks clearly and uses the elements of His time and place to make himself understood. He teaches us that the message of the Kingdom must be made as clear as possible for people to understand. Today we must also work to make His Word accessible and close, to show Jesus’s message in everyday situations and experiences. How do you get Christ’s teachings across to your brothers and sisters?
2) They do not understand. There are times when we harden our minds and hearts and we do not allow Jesus’s message to come in. There are times when we shut ourselves off from others and we don’t let the Word into our hearts. Let Jesus come into your heart and do not allow prejudice to take over and make you be on the defensive. Don’t become hard-hearted or close-minded.
3) Hard-hearted. Perhaps everything you have gone through or suffered in life has led you to harden your heart, to withdraw from others and to complain all the time. Do not let situations turn you into a rock, or into an utter pessimist. Instead, turn to Jesus and look for gentleness and happiness in your life. Do not be afraid to open up and give yourself to others. Remember that life flies by quickly and that something good is on the way!
God bless you, be with you and protect you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. May our Lady always be your ally and do not fear, life is beautiful!
