To hear the Audio Reflections of Monday, October 1, 2018, St. Therese of the child Jesus, click HERE
Sunday, 30 September 2018
Monday, October 1, 2018 - St. Therese of the Child Jesus - The Little Flower
To read the texts click on the texts: Isa 66:10-14; 1 Cor 13:4-13; Mt 18:1-4
St. Therese of the Child Jesus is one of my most
favourite saints. I admire and am inspired by her for a number of reasons, but
one of the most important reasons for this is her response to life. She had
more challenges than most of us will ever have, yet her response was always
positive no matter what the challenge she faced. In this regard she teaches us
how we too must be able to see the hand of God in everything that happens to
us.
She was born in 1873 and died very young at the age of
24 (1897). At the age of 14, she had an experience that transformed her life.
She decided to give her whole life to God and entered the Carmelite convent in
Lisieux. Though she was often sick and often plagued with doubts, she remained
faithful and received the ability to find God in all things and all things in
God. Her focus was not on doing great things but on doing all that she did with
unconditional love. She would do even the most ordinary tasks with
extraordinary love.
The Gospel text for the feast is taken from what is termed by as Matthew’s
“Community Discourse” (18:1-35). It is the fourth of the long discourses in
Matthew. Some see the discourse as divided clearly into two parts (18:1-14 and
18:15-35), with various indications, which point to such a division. Some of
these indications are as follows: Both sections end with a parable (18:12-13
and 18:23-34), after the parable is a concluding statement of Jesus, which
begins with the word “So” (18:14.35), there is also in the sayings, a reference
to the heavenly Father and the saying is about the subject of the preceding
section (“little ones” and “brother/sister”).
The discourse begins with a question
about the disciples regarding greatness. In his response, Jesus makes clear
that being in the kingdom or coming into it, is not a matter of one’s talents
or qualities, but “becoming like a child”. In first-century Judaism,
children were often regarded as inferior and were treated as property rather
than as persons. The point Jesus makes here is that one must acknowledge
dependence on the Father. The reception of a child is an indication that one
has accepted the values of the kingdom and one is no longer concerned about
being greatest.
This was the attitude of St. Therese
to life and she lived as a child of God all through her life. She inspires and
invites us to the same.
St. Therese of the Child Jesus - Isa 66:10-14; 1 Cor 13:4-13; Mt 18:1-4
Monday, October 1, 2018 - St. Therese of the Child Jesus - Isa 66:10-14; 1 Cor 13:4-13; Mt 18:1-4
Saturday, 29 September 2018
Sunday, September 30, 2018 – Will you speak on behalf of God today?
To read the texts click on the texts: Num11:25-29; Jas 5:1-6; Mk 9:38-43,45,47-48
The English
word, “prophet,” comes from the Latin, “propheta” or Greek, “prophētēs” which
means “one who speaks on behalf of God”. Since the prophet is the mouth by
which God speaks to humans, what a prophet says are not his own words, but
God’s words. Moses, who figures in the first reading of today, is an example of
a prophet from the Old Testament. James,
from whose letter the second reading of today is taken, is an example of a
prophet in the New Testament.
The first
reading, from the book of Numbers, tells about an incident that occurred as the
Israelites were marching through the desert toward the Promised Land. God
offered to bestow some of the spirit that was in Moses on seventy elders of the
people. These seventy would then share
the duties of leadership with Moses. When God bestowed the spirit on the
elders, they, like Moses, became prophets and were able to prophesy or speak on
behalf of God. Two men, Eldad and Medad, who had not been part of the group of
seventy, also received the spirit and began prophesying. Joshua, who was the
assistant to Moses, told Moses to stop them, apparently thinking that it was
improper for anyone who had not been part of the group of seventy to prophesy.
But Moses refused to accept Joshua's advice. Instead, he said, “Would that all
the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on
them!”
The point
that Moses makes is that the Spirit of God cannot be controlled by human
structures. It is a force for change that blows where it will. The charisma of
God can appear in members who are not supposed to have such power. Their
prophesying illustrates that the boundaries of even minimal forms of hierarchy
can be broken by the uncontrollable Spirit of God. The role of Moses in this
episode illustrates how an ideal and charismatic leader will promote and
recognize such power in unexpected places, rather than view it as a challenge
to his own authority, as did Joshua. Charisma breaks established boundaries
both inside and outside of communities. Charismatic leadership forces
communities to be self-critical, because the power of God can appear in unexpected
forms, places, and persons.
Such
charismatic leadership is noticed in the second reading of today when James also
speaks as a charismatic prophet. With words that are bound to sting, he berates
the oppressors of the poor. He does not mince words and is categorical and
forceful in his criticism of the rich.
He is especially critical of those who have made their riches ends in
themselves. Speaking on behalf of God, he calls on them to realize that it is
their riches which will be used as evidence for their condemnation and
judgement. Like his Lord, Jesus, had done before him, James pronounces woes on
the rich because of their mistreatment of the poor.
This Lord,
who speaks in the Gospel text of today, is not merely a prophet. He does not
merely speak on behalf of God. Rather, he is God. If the words of the prophet
have to be taken seriously and acted upon, how much more so the words of God
himself. In the first part of the Gospel
text of today, Jesus corrects John, like Moses corrected Joshua. Like Joshua
before him, it seems that John, too, was jealous of the unnamed exorcist who
was able to exorcise despite not being part of the inner circle of Jesus.
Jesus, however, is open and accommodating. He will not set limits on persons as
long as they are doing what God wants them to do. He will not be an obstacle or
stumbling block in the way of anyone who is doing good, and he exhorts his
disciples to adopt this way of thinking. Since Jesus does not stand on his ego,
he is able to allow the unnamed exorcist to do God’s work. He does not claim a
monopoly on such work. What is important is that the work be done and the kingdom
brought closer.
However,
the kingdom will remain a distant dream and will not be translated into reality
if there are stumbling blocks that keep coming in the way of the kingdom. These
are not external events, but persons and their attitudes and this is what Jesus
addresses in the second part of today’s Gospel. The behaviour and attitude of
the disciples can become a scandal to those who witness them. On the one hand,
one cannot blame others for the decisions one makes. On the other hand, however, if these are
simple people, there is every possibility that the scandalous behaviour of
Jesus’ disciples can scandalize them. Thus, the disciples are warned.
The
scandals that we can cause, as disciples of Jesus, can be seen in two areas.
One area is when, like Joshua and John, we become narrow minded and parochial
in our way of proceeding. We may focus so much on the external that we might
lose sight of the internal. We may place so much emphasis on our small
community that we might neglect the larger community. The second area in which
we can cause scandal is through the words that we speak and the actions that we
do. Our words and actions may, at times,
push people away from Jesus rather than draw people to him. When people look at
the lives we lead, and at our way of proceeding, and know that we are followers
of Jesus, is it likely or unlikely that they will be inspired to follow him?
The call of
the readings then, is a twofold call. It is first a call to each one of us to
be prophets of God and to have the courage to speak on his behalf to a world
that has grown deaf and will not hear and to a world that has grown blind and
will not see. It is also a call to an open-minded attitude that will welcome
the actions of those who may not belong to our “inner circle” of faith,
realizing that the Spirit of God can work when and where the Spirit wills. It is also to live our lives as Christians
and followers of Jesus in such a manner that, when people see and hear us, they
will be seeing and hearing Jesus Christ. It is to dare to say, with Paul, that
it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us. (Gal 2:20)
Friday, 28 September 2018
Audio Reflections for Saturday, September 29, 2018 the feast of Michael, Gabriel and Raphael
To hear the Audio Reflections for Saturday, September 29, 2018 the feast of Michael, Gabriel and Raphael click HERE
Saturday, September 29, 2018 - Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael
To read the texts click on the texts:Dan 7:9-10,13-14; Rev12:7-12; Jn 1:47-51
The three Archangels Michael (Who is as God? or
Who is like God?), Gabriel (Strength of God) and Raphael (God heals) are the
only angels named in Sacred Scripture. However, ancient apocryphal literature
mentions others beside these three, but the names are spurious.
Archangel Michael is invoked for protection
against evil and regarded as a Champion of God’s people. Gabriel is mentioned
four times in the Bible. Of these the most significant are in the New Testament
when he makes the announcement of the birth of john the Baptist and Jesus to
Zechariah and Mary respectively. Raphael is mentioned in the Book of Tobit and
is the one who heals Tobias’ blindness. Raphael is not mentioned in the New
Testament, but is invoked for healing and acts of mercy.
The choice of the Gospel reading from John is
because of the mention of angels in the last verse of the text. Though having
an opinion about where the Messiah would come from, Nathanael remains open to
another revelation. Though skeptical, he is willing to be convinced. Jesus
addresses Nathanael as an “Israelite” which signifies his faithfulness to the
law and is used here in a positive sense. He is without guile because though he
has questions and even doubts, he is open and receptive and willing to learn.
Jesus’ intimate knowledge of Nathanael and the revelation that he makes to him
leads to a transformation in Nathanael and he comes to faith. He responds to
Jesus with a confession and though he begins with Rabbi, he moves on to
recognizing Jesus as Son of God and King of Israel.
However, Jesus responds by pointing out to
Nathanael that this is only the beginning of the revelation that Jesus makes.
If he continues to remain open he will experience even greater things. By means
of a double “Amen”, Jesus points out to Nathanael and to others there that he
will be the bridge between heaven and earth. Through the phrase “you will see
heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of
Man.” (Jn 1:51) which combines images from the descent of the Son of Man as
narrated by Daniel (7:13) and the ladder of Jacob’s dream in Genesis (28:12),
Jesus states that Jacob’s ladder is replaced by the Son of Man. He will be that
place and person in whom the earthly and divine encounter each other. He as Son
of man will make God known. The Son of Man becomes the place where the earthly
and the heavenly, divine and human, temporal and eternal meet.
When looked at from this angle, the feast of the
Archangels seeming to be saying to us that our God is not merely in the
heavens. Our God is not merely a God who has created the world and left it to
its own design. Rather our God is a God who is intimately connected to the
world and present to and in it. Our God is a God who is concerned about our
world and ever willing to lend a hand whenever any one of us requires it.
Saturday, September 29, 2018 - Dan 7:9-10,13-14; Rev 12:7-12; Jn 1:47-51
Saturday, September 29, 2018 - Dan 7:9-10,13-14; Rev 12:7-12; Jn 1:47-51
Thursday, 27 September 2018
Audio reflections of Friday, September 28, 2018
To hear the Audio reflections of Friday, September 28, 2018 click HERE
Friday, September 28, 2018 - Can you identify with a “Suffering Messiah”? Would you have preferred that Jesus not go to the Cross? What kind of death would have preferred Jesus to die?
To read the texts click on the texts:Ecclesiastes 3:1-11; Lk 9:18-22
Though Luke depends on Mark for this scene of Peter’s
confession, he has made some significant changes in order to bring out his
meaning of the text.
The first is that unlike Mark, Luke does not give the
geographical location (Caesarea Philippi), but gives instead the context of the
prayer of Jesus. Through this change, Luke makes the confession a spiritual
experience. Luke also changes Marks, “one of the prophets” to “one of the old
prophets has risen.” Though the difference does not appear to be great, it is
for Luke. In the Gospel of Luke, before Jesus everything is old. Jesus makes
all things new.
Luke has also eliminated Peter’s refusal to accept Jesus as the
suffering Messiah and the rebuke of Peter by Jesus. Luke avoids narrating
Marcan texts that show Peter and even the disciples in a bad light.
The second question to the disciples, “But who do you say that I
am?” shows on the one hand that the answers given of the crowd’s understanding
of Jesus are inadequate, and on the other that Jesus wants to know their
understanding of him.
In all the Synoptic Gospels it is Peter who answers, but
here too Luke adds to Mark’s, “You are the Christ”, the words “of God”. The
Greek word “Christos” means in English “the anointed” and this conveys the
meaning of royalty. However, by his addition, Luke also brings in the
prophetical dimension of Jesus’ person and mission. This prophetical dimension
is explicated in the verses, which follow the confession of Peter, in which
Jesus explains the kind of Christ/Messiah/Anointed One that he will be.
The
reason for the rebuke or “stern order” not to tell anyone is because Jesus
wanted to avoid any misunderstanding of the term which could be understood only
in the glorious sense. Jesus as “the Christ of God” will come in glory, but
only after he has gone to the cross, died, been buried and then raised.
Who Jesus is cannot be captured by a title and we must not
attempt to do so or imagine that this is possible. Any title we may use for
Jesus will always be inadequate and this leads us to the realisation that while
we may encounter him in different situations, he will always be bigger than
anything we can ever imagine.
Friday, September 28, 2018 - Ecclesiastes 3:1-11; Lk 9:18-22
Friday, September 28, 2018 - Ecclesiastes 3:1-11; Lk 9:18-22
Wednesday, 26 September 2018
Audio Reflections of Thursday, September 27, 2018
To hear the Audio Reflections of Thursday, September 27, 2018 click HERE
Thursday, September 27, 2018 - You know a great deal about Jesus, but do you really know him? When did you last meet him personally?
To read the texts click on the texts:Ecclesiastes 1:2-11; Lk 9:7-9
This text (9:7-9) forms the meat of the sandwich formed by the
sending out of the Twelve (9:1-6) and their return (9:10-17).
In a sandwich
construction, an event is begun, interrupted by another event and the first
event is continued and completed. In this instance, the disciples are sent on
mission (9:1-6), the return is interrupted by the question of Herod (9:7-9) and
the event of the sending out of the disciples is continued and completed by
their return (9:10-17). In such a construction, the first and the third events
throw light on the event in the middle or the meat of the sandwich.
The first
and third events here narrate the sending and successful return, and it is in this
light that the question of Herod, “Who is this?” (which is the second event or
in the centre) must be read. Herod’s desire to see Jesus foreshadows coming
events.
When Herod did meet Jesus, his desire to see Jesus was fulfilled, but
he wanted only to see Jesus perform a sign. He never really grasped the answer
to his own question. Though John the Baptist has been beheaded and Jesus will
also be killed, yet the violence of the wicked will be no match for God’s
grace. The success of the disciples’ in mission is only a shadow of the success
that Jesus will experience in mission.
The intention behind wanting to meet Jesus is extremely
important. If one’s approach is curiosity that will be the level at which one
will see him. If one’s approach is faith, then one will encounter him as he is.
Thursday, September 27, 2018 - Ecclesiastes 1:2-11; Lk 9:7-9
Thursday, September 27, 2018 - Ecclesiastes 1:2-11; Lk 9:7-9
Tuesday, 25 September 2018
Audio reflections of Wednesday, September 26, 2018
To hear the Audio reflections of Wednesday, September 26, 2018 click HERE
Wednesday, September 26, 2018 - What does mission mean for you today? How and where will you proclaim it?
To read the texts click on the texts: Pro 30:5-9; Lk 9:1-6
This passage may be seen as the culmination of the entire
section Lk. 7:1 – 8:56. In this section, we were shown the nature of Jesus’
Kingdom mission. The Twelve now share in that same mission.
The verses of today's Gospel may be termed as the Mission Discourse according to Luke. Though Luke has taken
much material from the Mission Discourse of Mark (see Mk. 6:6b-13), he has also
made changes, which bring out his meaning of mission more clearly.
Before Jesus
instructs his disciples on how they must go about their mission, he gives them
not only authority as in Mark, but power and authority. This power and
authority is given not only over the unclean spirits as in Mark, but over all
demons and to cure diseases. Only in Luke are they also sent to “preach the
Kingdom of God”. This indicates that for Luke, mission is inclusive and
includes both doing as well as saying, both action as well as word.
Besides power and authority, Jesus also gives the disciples a
strategy for mission. This may be summed up as detachment from things (take
nothing for your journey), persons (stay there and from there depart) and from
events (and wherever they do not receive you, when you leave shake off the dust
from your feet). Dependence ought to be only on the Providence of God. The
rejection shown Jesus is also in store for those sent by Jesus.
The last verse
in today’s text, underscores the disciples’ obedience to the commands of Jesus
by reiterating the principal features of mission: preaching the good news and
healing the sick. That mission is universal is made clear in the last word,
“everywhere”.
As missionaries today, we are called to continue to the Mission
inaugurated by Jesus and put into motion by his first disciples. It is a
mission, which includes every aspect of life and involves all persons. This
means that we are called not to be part-time missionaries or disciples, but on
mission always and everywhere.
Wednesday, September 26, 2018 - Pro 30:5-9; Lk 9:1-6
Wednesday, September 26, 2018 - Pro 30:5-9; Lk 9:1-6
Monday, 24 September 2018
Audio Reflections of Tuesday, September 25, 2018
To hear the Audio Reflections of Tuesday, September 25, 2018 click HERE
Tuesday, September 25, 2018 - Would Jesus point to you as a member of his family? Why?
To read the texts click on the texts:Prov 21:1-6,10-13; Lk 8:19-21
Though this text, which concerns the mother and brothers of
Jesus, is found also in Mark 3:21-22 and 3:31-35 and Matthew 12:46-50, Luke
narrates it quite differently from both.
In Mark 3:33 and Matthew 12:48 Jesus
asks who his mother and brothers are. In Luke, however, Jesus does not ask this
question, but says simply when told that his mother and brothers desire to see
him, that his mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.
Luke thus gives a positive thrust to the scene unlike Mark and Matthew. It
might be said that while in Mark and Matthew Jesus seems to reject his physical
family and choose instead the crowd (so Mark) or his disciples (so Matthew), in
Luke he does not do so. This means that though family relations with Jesus are
not based on physical relations but on the word of God, his physical family
does indeed hear the word of God and acts on it.
We might possess the name Christian because of our baptism, but
this does not necessarily mean that we belong to the family of Jesus. In order
to belong what is also necessary is putting into action what Jesus has taught.
Tuesday, September 25, 2018 - Prov 21:1-6.10-13; Lk 8:19-21
Tuesday, September 25, 2018 - Prov 21:1-6.10-13; Lk 8:19-21
Sunday, 23 September 2018
Audio Reflections of Monday, September 24, 2018
To hear the Audio Reflections of Monday, September 24, 2018 click HERE
Monday, September 24, 2018 - What is the Good News according to you? Will you share it with others today? How?
To read the texts click on the texts:Pro 3:27-34; Lk 8:16-18
These verses in Luke are a commentary on the Parable of the
Sower, which in Luke appears in 8:5-8. Just as a farmer sows the seed so that
all of it may bear fruit, so also a lamp is lit so that it may give light. Like
seed is sown not to be trampled on, eaten by birds, to wither or to be chocked,
so a lamp is lit not to be hid under a jar or under a bed.
Knowledge of the
kingdom is not esoteric or secret, reserved for a particular group alone, but
must be made known to all. It is knowledge, which must be shared openly with
others. It is indeed the Good News, since it is a communication of love, and
therefore it must not only be heard, but also experienced.
By adding, “Then pay
attention to how you listen”, the Lucan Jesus reminds listeners that they can
choose and control how they will listen to the word of God. A total openness to
the word of God results in an appropriate response to it.
Hearing is an active process. It calls for a commitment. Those
who are open to that word are like a lamp, which gives light to all. An
attentive hearing of the word of God can result in the transformation of one’s
life and the living out of that word can lead to transformation in the lives of
others.
Monday, September 24, 2018 - Pro 3:27-34; Lk 8:16-18
Monday, September 24, 2018 - Pro 3:27-34; Lk 8:16-18
Saturday, 22 September 2018
Sunday, September 23, 2018 - To serve and not to be served
To read the texts click on the texts:Wis 2:12,17-20; Jas 3:16-4:3; Mk 9:30-37
The Gospel of Mark contains three Passion and
Resurrection predictions. Three times in the Gospel, albeit with some
differences in each, Jesus speaks about his suffering, death, and resurrection.
After each of these predictions, there is a misunderstanding of what Jesus
says. In the first instance, Peter misunderstands. He insists that Jesus must
not suffer and die. In the third instance, the brothers, James and John,
misunderstand. They ask for places on the right hand and left hand of Jesus in
the kingdom.
It is the second prediction of the Passion and
Resurrection, and what follows after, which is the Gospel text of today.
Immediately after Jesus has spoken, Mark states unambiguously that the
disciples did not understand what Jesus was saying. This is shown also by the
silence with which they respond to Jesus’ question “What were you arguing about
on the way?” The reason they do not respond is because they had been discussing
which one of them was the greatest. They knew, even as they remained silent,
that this kind of discussion was not appropriate and did not fit in with Jesus’
world view and scheme of things.
Be that as it may, some more important questions
that the Gospel of today raises are these: How could the disciples, who had
been so closely associated with Jesus and knew him so intimately, even consider
thinking about greatness? Did not all the time they spent with Jesus have any
effect on them at all? How come the values that Jesus lived and spoke about
constantly, values of self-abnegation, service, selflessness, and the like,
have no impact on them?
The answer to these questions is provided in part
by the first and second readings of today. The first reading spells out how the
attitude of a righteous person, like Jesus, is not at all easy to accept. The
righteous person is someone who is inconvenient and tiresome to many. There are
two responses to such a person. The first is to ignore him and all that he
stands for. However, sometimes, through his life of righteousness, he exposes
us who are unrighteous. The second response, therefore, is to do away with him
as quickly as one can. It is to test him with opposition, insult, and torture,
in the hope that he will give up his position of righteousness and buckle under
the pressure. It is to test his forbearance, and patience, and perseverance. It
is to find out whether he is really serious about what he preaches and whether
he will be able, in reality, to practice it. The disciples choose the first
response.
They pretend not to understand because what Jesus
preaches is too difficult to translate into action. They prefer, instead, to go
the way which most normally go. They prefer to walk the easy road, trod by most
others; the road of power, prestige, and honour. The adversaries of Jesus,
however, choose the second response. They will do away with Jesus. His
presence, and all he stands for, is a threat to them. They will not tolerate
this new way that he preaches. It is against everything that they want to be.
The reason they will do this is because, as James
explains in the second reading of today, there is envy and selfish ambition in
the very core of their being. There is a lack of wisdom and thus, disorder and
wickedness of every kind. Their cravings and covetousness prevent them from
seeing that there is another way. Their unchecked desires prevent them from
daring to walk the path of selflessness and service. They would rather be
served than serve.
Jesus, however, will make no compromise. He is
convinced that the only way to live life, fully and completely, is through
serving rather than being served. In his scheme of things, and in his view of
life, the only way to be first is to be last; the only way to be master is by
being servant. The only way to be No. 1 is by being No one. He makes this
explicit, not only through his words, but also by his action of placing a child
in front of the disciples. He points to the child, one who was regarded as a
non-person, as his representative. In doing so, Jesus is telling his disciples,
and each of us, that in his kingdom, egolessness, dying to oneself, and serving
as he served, are the only ways through which one can hope to enter his
kingdom.
Greatness in the kingdom overturns the usual
perceptions we have of greatness and honour. It is almost normal to consider the
first as first and the last as last. The challenge is to learn to think as God
thinks which runs counter to well-established behaviour patterns. We often pay
lip service to the view that the “first shall be last,” as long as we are not
challenged to put that view to the test. The readings of today then, issue a
call and challenge to each of us to dare to see that there is another way: the
way of being No one so that one can indeed be No.1.
Sunday, September 23, 2018 - Wis 2:12,17-20; Jas 3:16-4:3; Mk 9:30-37
Sunday, September 23, 2018 - Wis 2:12,17-20; Jas 3:16-4:3; Mk 9:30-37
Friday, 21 September 2018
Audio Reflections of Saturday, September 20, 2018
To hear the Audio Reflections of Saturday, September 20, 2018 click HERE
Saturday, September 22, 2018 - How do I react when most of my effort seems to be in vain?
To read the texts click on the texts:1 Cor 15:35-37,42-49; Lk 8:4-15
The text of today combines both the Parable of the Sower (8:5-8)
and the allegory (8:11-15) {in an allegory, every element in the story is given
a meaning. So, the seed is regarded as the word of God, those along the path
are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from
their hearts, so that they may not believe an be saved, and so on}.
Though it
is true that the Sower disappears from the scene after he is first mentioned,
and the seed takes centre stage, the parable is really one of contrast between
the beginning and the middle, and the end. Thus, the Sower (whom the end will
affect) is still an important figure in the parable. Since many have confused
the allegory with the Parable, the meaning of the parable may have been missed.
In this reflection we will focus on the Parable.
The farmer would sow along “the path”, because according to
research done on the agricultural practices in Palestine at the time of Jesus,
the practice was to sow seeds first and then plough it into the ground.
Sowing
on “rocky ground” is not surprising because the underlying limestone, thinly
covered with soil, barely showed above the surface until the ploughshare jarred
against it.
Sowing among “thorns” is also understandable, because this too will
be ploughed up. Though the ploughing of the three kinds of soil above will be
done, it will result in a loss, because in none of them will the seed grow. It
will seem that seventy-five percent of the effort is lost.
While most of the
parable focuses on “sowing”, in the last verse it is already “harvest time”.
The abnormal, exaggerated tripling, of the harvest’s yield (a
hundredfold) symbolises the overflowing of divine fullness,surpassing all
human measure and expectations (A tenfold harvest counted as a good harvest and
a yield of seven and a half as an average one).
To human eyes much of the labour
seems futile and fruitless, resulting in repeated failure, but Jesus is full of
joyful confidence; he knows that God has made a beginning, bringing with it a harvest of reward beyond all asking or conceiving. In spite of every failure
and opposition, from hopeless beginnings, God brings forth the triumphant end,
which he has promised.
1. Do I usually focus more on the reaping than on the sowing? Do I
focus more on the result than on the action? Do I focus more on the future than
on the present?
2. How do I react when most of my effort seems to be in vain? Do I
throw up my hands in despair? Do I give up? Do I get despondent? Or do I carry
on despite all odds? Do I continue to persevere? Do I keep on keeping on?
3. How attached am I to the result of my action? Can I plunge into
the din of battle and leave my heart at the feet of the Lord?
4. Write down your response to this statement of St. Ignatius –
“WHEN YOU WORK, WORK AS IF EVERYTHING DEPENDS ONLY ON YOU YOU. WHEN YOU PRAY,
PRAY AS IF EVERYTHING DEPENDS ONLY ON GOD.”
5. Do you sometimes act as the “General Manager of the Universe”?
Will you resign from that position today?
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