What Are You Hearing?

Sunday Readings for July 24 2011                                      

 17^th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

          How much is your faith in Christ worth to you?  This Sunday’s Gospel continues to look at the Kingdom of God and why God reaches out to us in a ‘behind the scenes’ manner.  Jesus uses three analogies with His disciples to describe the Kingdom of Heaven: A hidden treasure, fine pearls and a fishing net.  We take from the first two parables the fact that the Kingdom of Heaven is not something we can see with our naked eye, nor is it a reality that hits us over the head.  

The Kingdom of Heaven can only be seen when we look deeply for it, when we take the time to search for it.  Once we know what we are looking for, and that it is indeed hidden from us, we realize that the Kingdom of Heaven is worth selling everything for because it is worth more than anything else we have.  Many people struggle with God’s hiding, and would rather that He just show Himself clearly to us.  God, however, is motivated by pure love, and wants us to have the same purity of love that He has.  What kind of love would spouses have for each other if they were not willing to love each other even when they did not feel like it?  

So in the same way, we are called to love God completely, even when we do not see or feel Him.  In the next parable, Jesus makes the point that the Kingdom of Heaven will try to gather everyone together, but some will not be worthy of the Kingdom and will be thrown away.  Jesus uses the language of the Kingdom to point to a simple concept, that Jesus Himself is the Kingdom of Heaven.  Lest we think that the Kingdom is something we can’t reach, or that it is a this-worldly reality, the Kingdom of God centers around a person, Jesus Christ.  

Being a Christian is not about scoring high on a test, or having the most talents, or being the most popular: Being a Christian is about loving Jesus.  Our lives, as His disciples, are about making Him the Number One priority of our lives, despite what the world is saying.  Few people realize the importance of total obedience to Jesus.  Many followers of Jesus say that they belong to Him, but are not willing to abandon everything to Him.  

Many today want to dismiss Christianity as either outdated or full of hypocrites, and go to great lengths to get themselves off the hook from following Jesus.  Our Faith is about loving a Person, Jesus, and when we take our eyes off of Him in any way, we get on the wrong path.  May we have the ability, through the strength of the Gospel, to keep our eyes 100% focused on Jesus, despite the spiritual storms that surround us.  If we do so, then we will have the joy of an everlasting treasure kept for us in heaven to last us for an eternity. Summary of the Gospel by YM Central

Reading 1           1 Kings 3:5, 7-12

5 The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.” 7 Solomon answered: “O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed my father David; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act. 8 I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. 9 Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong. For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?” 10 The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request. 11 So God said to him: “Because you have asked for this— not for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies, but for understanding so that you may know what is right— 12 I do as you requested. I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you.”

Questions for Discussion:

1.   Why do you think the Lord told Solomon to ask for whatever he wanted?

2.   Why do you think Solomon ask God for Wisdom?

3.   By giving Solomon more than he asked for, what was God saying?

4.   What was the toughest decision you’ve had to make lately? Do you feel now that your decision was wise?

5.   If you could have one prayer request answered today, what would it be?

Reading II           Romans 8:28-30

28Brothers and sisters: We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.

Questions for Discussion:

1.   What confidence does verse 28 give you about events that occur in your life?

2.   In verses 29-30, what five verbs describe what God has already done for you?

3.   Do you tend to see the glass half empty or half full?

Gospel according to St. Matthew            Matthew 13:44-52

44 Jesus said to his disciples:“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. 46 When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. 47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. 48 When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. 49 Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. 51 “Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” And he replied, 52 “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”

Questions for Discussion:

1.   What did Jesus mean when He said, “every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of Heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old”? Who are the scribes? What is ‘both the new and the old’?

2.   How would you respond to someone who said that God is bad because He throws the wicked ‘into the fiery furnace’? What would we be saying about God if He gave bad people a good reward?

3.   What do people today have a hard time giving up in order to allow Christ to work in their lives? Describe Be honest: Would you sell everything you have just to have the Kingdom of God?  Why/Why not?

4.   What relation does our faith have to Jesus’ ability to be at work in our lives?  Why does He look for faith?

All Really Does Mean “All”

Readings for Sunday July 17 2011 

 16^th Sunday in Ordinary Time       

          If God is so strong, why is He often so silent? For the second week in a row, our Gospel passage focuses on Jesus' use of parables to teach us important lessons about our relationship with God. God's Kingdom is described in three parables, the parable of the weeds and the wheat, the parable of the mustard seed, and the parable of the yeast. God's Kingdom is unlike any other kingdom the world has seen. Other kingdoms are based on power and force: God's Kingdom enters our lives in a quiet, unobtrusive way, but in the end is the only kingdom standing. It is a Kingdom based on humility and love, not strength.  Through these parables, Jesus teaches us that the Kingdom of God is a real reality, not just make-believe. What we see here in our world is a backdrop for a spiritual battle. Jesus names the key players involved in this drama: Himself (the Son of Man), the devil, the angels, the children of the Kingdom, and the children of the evil one. Notice that, as Jesus was explaining the parable, He didn't talk about the devil and the angels as if they were a myth, but rather He talked about them as if they really existed.  This 'reality' may be difficult for us to believe because so often God seems distant from us. Our society is constantly telling us that our faith in God is silly, that it is like having faith in the 'tooth fairy'. Many 'intellectuals' see faith as superstitious.  They often see it as a problem that God is invisible to us. Jesus addresses this problem in His parables: though it seems like God is distant, He is rather just quiet. Although He is standing next to us, is even in our hearts, He is not getting in our face.  God respects our freedom, and doesn't force us to make a decision to follow Him. This is a risky proposition on God's part, because we have the ability to reject Him, and to 'cause others to sin' and be counted as an evildoer. As followers of Jesus, we must be convicted of the reality of Jesus, the reality of His love for us, and the reality of the truth of His teachings. Let us ask God for the grace to accept His small, quiet invitation to allow the Kingdom of God to grow within our hearts and become a beautiful place of His love. In this way God will safely bring us to His dwelling place in heaven and reveal to us the fullness of His Kingdom with total clarity.           

Summary of the Gospel by YM Central

Reading 1             Wisdom 12:13, 16-19

There is no god besides you who have the care of all, that you need show you have not unjustly condemned.
For your might is the source of justice; your mastery over all things makes you lenient to all.
For you show your might when the perfection of your power is disbelieved; and in those who know you, you rebuke temerity. But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency, and with much lenience you govern us; for power, whenever you will, attends you. And you taught your people, by these deeds, that those who are just must be kind; and you gave your children good ground for hope that you would permit repentance for their sins.

Reading II             Romans 8:26-27

Brothers and sisters: The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groaning.  And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the holy ones according to God's will.

Gospel                   Matthew  13:24-43

Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying: "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. The slaves of the householder came to him and said, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?  Where have the weeds come from?' He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' His slaves said to him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' He replied, 'No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them.  Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, "First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn."'" He proposed another parable to them.  "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field.  It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.  It becomes a large bush, and the 'birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.'" He spoke to them another parable.  "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened." All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.  He spoke to them only in parables, to fulfill what had been said through the prophet: I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world. Then, dismissing the crowds, he went into the house.  His disciples approached him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."  He said in reply, "He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom.  The weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.  Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.  The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.  They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.  Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.  Whoever has ears ought to hear."

FYI-cross-reference Matthew 7:15-23

 By their fruits, you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit? Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heave Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord,  when did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name? Then I will declare to them solemnly, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.'

Questions for Discussion:

1. What accountability are you now feeling for yourself? For others? To God? What are you "hearing" God call you to do as a result?

2. Why does God choose the quiet approach to establishing His kingdom?

3. Why is it important to believe that the spiritual concepts that Jesus was talking about (angels, devil, etc.) are real? What happens to the 'weight' of Jesus' teaching if they were just 'make-believe concepts?

Patience, Patience........

Readings for Sunday July 10, 2011

15th Sunday in Ordinary time



Have you ever wished that God would just come out and tell you directly what He wants of you instead of being so secretive? Ever wonder why Jesus so often used parables instead of coming out directly and telling people what He meant? This Sunday’s Gospel reading brings us to the Parable of the Sower, in which Jesus tells us not only how to prepare ourselves to get to heaven, but also gives us an explanation as to why He speaks so often in the coded language of parables. Of course Jesus could have just come out and told the crowd exactly what He was thinking. Instead, He decides to speak in a hidden style, causing the people to think through what He is saying. This style of teaching is the Lord’s way of making us ‘earn’ His point. Instead of just handing it to us without any effort, He gives the full meaning of His lesson to those who really want to work for it. In this way, the Lord is guarding Himself, not giving away His ‘pearls’ to those who will treat them without respect. In particular, Jesus gives Himself to those who are humble of heart, to those who have a real desire for Him. Many do not have the desire for God, and because of their pride, they go on with life without really thinking that they need Jesus. Parables are meant to confuse the proud: Without a conversion of heart, they will never be able to comprehend what God has in store for them. This is God’s irony that those who are simple, who make it a point to trust God, will end up with more understanding than those who try to live life on their own efforts, talents and studies. Our culture and society tell us that we should be the masters of our own lives that we should look out for number one. This philosophy is anti-Christian, for as Christians we believe that Jesus is Number One, the source of everything that is good. As Christians we should always be about pleasing Jesus over anyone else, including ourselves. No matter the situation we may find ourselves in, we are always called to do good and act according to His will. Jesus’ will in our lives gives us more joy and satisfaction than anything we could come up with on our own. May we have the courage to ask God for a deeper ‘dose’ of humility, and trust Him over our own abilities and talents.

Summary of the Gospel by YM Central


Reading 1 Isaiah 55:10-11

10 Thus says the LORD: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, 11 so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.
The first reading is taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 55:10-11. The word of God which came to the Chosen People through the prophets, and the divinely inspired writers, came out of God's loving interest in His people. He wanted to prepare them for the inheritance, the real "promised land," that, when the messianic age (the "fullness of time") came, would be theirs, provided their lives on earth were lived as they should be. — The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

Reading II Romans 8:18-23

18 Brothers and Sisters: I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us. 19 For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; 20 for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; 23 and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
The second reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:18-23 and is about present suffering and the glory of God. Suffering is an essential part of the Christian life and one who truly believes will have his or her share of hardships and trials. Yet, these are not ends in themselves, as there is hope that they will terminate with the full revelation of the glory of God. The theme and message of St. Paul is not to lose hope in the Lord into whose risen life we have been initiated by Baptism. — A Celebrants Guide to the New Sacramentary - A Cycle by Kevin W. Irwin

Gospel Reading Matthew 13:1-23

1 On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. 3 And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow 4 and as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, 6 and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. 7 Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. 8 But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. 9 Whoever has ears ought to hear.” 10 The disciples approached him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 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. 12 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. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. 14 Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see. 15 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. 16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. 17 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. 18 “Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. 20 The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. 21 But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. 22 The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. 23 But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

Questions for Discussion

1. If you were to ‘modernize’ the parable of the Sower, what comparisons would you use instead of ‘seeds’ and a ‘sower’? Why?

2. What kind of soil best describes where you are at in your relationship to God right now? Are you a path, rocky ground, thorns or rich soil? Why?

3. How has God communicated to you in your life? Do you ever wish He’d just come out and tell you what He was thinking? Describe. What would you say to a person who thought that God needed to communicate more clearly?