Thursday of 16th Week in Ordinary Time
HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS
Jeremiah reminds God’s people that in their youth, after God had made a covenant with them, they had been faithful and fervent. But since then they have abandoned God, even the priests and the prophets had done so.
Jesus complains that there are some who close their hearts to his message of life. His message is simple. Much of it is told in the moving stories of the parables. Why don’t people understand them? They are fickle and busy with themselves and their own little affairs. Or they think they are too learned and too self-sufficient, above the little ones, the humble, the simple people; these are eager to be receptive of the word of God and to pay attention to it.
First Reading: Jeremiah 2:1-3; 7-8; 12-13
God’s Message came to me. It went like this:
“Get out in the streets and call to Jerusalem,
‘God’s Message!
I remember your youthful loyalty,
our love as newlyweds.
You stayed with me through the wilderness years,
stuck with me through all the hard places.
Israel was God’s holy choice,
the pick of the crop.
Anyone who laid a hand on her
would soon wish he hadn’t!’”
God’s Decree.
“I brought you to a garden land
where you could eat lush fruit.
But you barged in and polluted my land,
trashed and defiled my dear land.
The priests never thought to ask, ‘Where’s God?’
The religion experts knew nothing of me.
The rulers defied me.
The prophets preached god Baal
And chased empty god-dreams and silly god-schemes.
“Stand in shock, heavens, at what you see!
Throw up your hands in disbelief—this can’t be!”
God’s Decree.
“My people have committed a compound sin:
they’ve walked out on me, the fountain
Of fresh flowing waters, and then dug cisterns—
cisterns that leak, cisterns that are no better than sieves.
Gospel: Matthew 13:10-17
The disciples came up and asked, “Why do you tell stories?”
He replied, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn’t been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That’s why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they’re blue in the face and not get it. I don’t want Isaiah’s forecast repeated all over again:
Your ears are open but you don’t hear a thing.
Your eyes are awake but you don’t see a thing.
The people are blockheads!
They stick their fingers in their ears
so they won’t have to listen;
They screw their eyes shut
so they won’t have to look,
so they won’t have to deal with me face-to-face
and let me heal them.
“But you have God-blessed eyes—eyes that see! And God-blessed ears—ears that hear! A lot of people, prophets and humble believers among them, would have given anything to see what you are seeing, to hear what you are hearing, but never had the chance.
Prayer
God, you care for us.
your Son Jesus told us this in wonderful stories
about your forgiveness, your love, and your patient mercy.
Do not allow us to be so fickle or indifferent
that we close our eyes and ears to them,
but make us see and hear with our hearts
that these simple stories are speaking
of the very meaning of our lives.
Count us among the simple people
who understand what you are telling us
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reflection:
21 July 2022
Matthew 13:10-17
Getting engrossed in world’s noises is closing heart to the voice of God
Faith and understanding are gifts of the Holy Spirit that enable us to hear God’s word that helps us to know God better and love him and his people more. Jesus has just told the Parable of the Sower and all of the different kinds of grounds that the seed falls on. Some sprouts shoot up quickly and then wither away, but others take their time, they put down deep roots and in the end they grow and flourish. Sometimes it takes time for the truth of the Gospel to sink in and take root.
The prophet Isaiah had warned that some would hear God’s word, but not believe, some would see God’s actions and miracles, and remain unconvinced. Jesus would repeat the same concerns with his disciples that not everyone would understand his parables. It was not that they could not intellectually understand them, but rather, their hearts were closed to what Jesus was saying. They had already made up their minds to not believe. God can only reveal the secrets of his kingdom to the humble and trusting person who acknowledges the need for God and for his truth.
Ironically some of the greatest sceptics of Jesus’ teaching and miracles were the learned scribes and Pharisees 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. Their hearts were closed and their minds were blocked by pride and prejudice. How could this 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?
If we approach God’s word with indifference, scepticism, 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. “The Kingdom is present in your midst” (Lk 17:21). But those who listened did not always understand.
Are we among those who look without seeing, or hear without understanding? Jesus’s parable challenges us out of our laziness. How easily do we get distracted in these times when we are overwhelmed by too much information and images without any insight. Do we spend hours together on trivial matters, but fail to find time for God’s voice to take root in us?
Holy Spirit, be our teacher and guide. Open our ears to hear God’s word and open our eyes to understand God’s actions in our lives. May our heart never grow dull and may our ears never tire of listening to the voice of Christ.