Today is Wednesday,23rd July 2014,the Memorial of St Bridget of Sweden TODAYS READINGS ---------- + ------------- ...HE WHO HAS EARS..,LET HIM HEAR... JEREMIAH 1: 1, 4 - 10 1 The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,4 Now the word of the LORD came to me saying,5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. 6 Then I said, Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.7 But the LORD said to me, Do not say, `I am only a youth; for to all to whom I send you you shall go, and whatever I command you you shall speak.8 Be not afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.9 Then the LORD put forth his hand and touched my mouth; and the LORD said to me, Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.10 See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant. ------------- + ---------------- + ---------------- + --------------- + ----------- + ------- PSALM 71:1-6,15,17 1 In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame! 2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me! 3 Be to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. 4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man. 5 For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth. 6 Upon you I have leaned from my birth; you are he who took me from my mothers womb. My praise is continually of you. 15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. 17 O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. --------------- + -------------- + ------------- + ------------ + ---------- + -------------- GOSPEL Wednesday (July 23): Since they had no root they withered away Gospel: Matthew 13:1-9 1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear. Meditation on todays Gospel: Are you hungry for Gods word? Matthew tells us that Jesus taught many things to those who came to listen and learn. Jesus teaching method was a very simple one. He used parables - short stories and images taken from everyday life to convey hidden truths about the kingdom of God. Like a skillful artist, Jesus painted evocative pictures with short and simple words. A good image can speak more loudly and clearly than many words. Jesus used the ordinary everyday images of life and nature to point to another order of reality - hidden, yet visible to those who had eyes to see and ears to hear. Jesus communicated with pictures and stories, vivid illustrations which captured the imaginations of his audience more powerfully than an abstract presentation could. His parables are like buried treasure waiting to be discovered (Matthew 13:44). Sowing seeds that take root and grow What does the parable about seeds and roots say to us about the kingdom of God? Any farmer will attest to the importance of good soil for supplying nutrients for growth. And how does a plant get the necessary food and water it needs except by its roots? The Scriptures frequently use the image of fruit-bearing plants or trees to convey the principle of spiritual life and death. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit (Jeremiah 17:7-8; see also Psalm 1:3). The shut mind and prejudiced hearer Jesus parable of the sower is aimed at the hearers of his word. There are different ways of accepting Gods word and they produce different kinds of fruit accordingly. There is the prejudiced hearer who has a shut mind. Such a person is unteachable and blind to what he or she doesnt want to hear. Then there is the shallow hearer. He or she fails to think things out or think them through; they lack depth. They may initially respond with an emotional reaction; but when it wears off their mind wanders to something else. Too busy and preoccupied to listen Another type of hearer is the person who has many interests or cares, but who lacks the ability to hear or comprehend what is truly important. Such a person is for ever too busy to pray or too preoccupied to study and meditate on Gods word. He or she may work so hard that they are too tired to even think of anything else but their work. Then there is the one whose mind is open. Such a person is at all times willing to listen and to learn. He or she is never too proud or too busy to learn. They listen in order to understand. God gives grace to those who hunger for his word that they may understand his will and have the strength to live according to it. Do you hunger for Gods word? Lord Jesus, faith in your word is the way to wisdom, and to ponder your divine plan is to grow in the truth. Open my eyes to your deeds, and my ears to the sound of your call, that I may understand your will for my life and live according to it.
Posted on: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 09:59:13 +0000
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