17th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

 July 26, 2020

Readings:

First Reading: 1 Kings 3: 5, 7-12

Psalm 119 “Lord, I love your commands.”

Second Reading: Romans 8: 28-30

Gospel reading according to Matthew 13: 44-52

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Homily:

Bear in mind the Parable of the Weeds on last Sunday′s gospel (16^th Sunday in OT (A), July 19) as to compare the Kingdom of heaven, the gospel for today has reference from it.  In order to deepen the meaning of the parable of the weeds, Jesus explained to his disciples using another parables, the Parable of the Hidden Treasure, the Parable of Fine Pearl and the Parable of the Drag Net.   

“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 sell all that he has and buys that field′ . . .” (Matthew 13: 44).   Firstly, the Parable of the Hidden Treasure as represents the Kingdom of God.  Anyone who finds it is ready to leave behind or sell all what he has in exchange of this treasure.  This treasure might be faith, hope and love to the heavenly Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit which are above all important in our lives.  It is a freedom from any worldly treasure, i.e., money, power, authority, subjugation and manipulation of others that cannot last or can be eaten by moth or can be stolen by robbers.  This worldly treasure can enslaved, can oppressed others, even to do evil things just to protect and not to lose this treasure from their hands, the weeds of the evil.  As compare to the hidden treasure that last long, cannot be eaten by moth or steal but rather can give eternal life, happiness in life, and fullness of life, the seed or word of God. 

“. . . ‵Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls.  When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sell all that he has and buys it′ . . .” Secondly, on the Parable of Fine Pearl, this also has reference to the Kingdom of God, and with similarity to the parable of the hidden treasure.  A merchant or businessman looks for some valuable pearls, not to keep them but to sell them in higher price to gain higher income from the sale.  Meaning, he has to spread this valuable pearl, which is faith, hope and love to others and in the end he will gain heaven. (Matthew 13: 45-46). 

“. . . ‵Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind.  When it is full they haul it ashore ad sit down to put what is good into buckets.  What is bad they throw away′ . . .” (Matthew 13: 47-48). Third and lastly, the Parable of the Drag Net.  In catching fish, we cannot expect to catch all fish perfect; most of the time, it is mixed with bad fish, fish that cannot be eaten, fish with poison.  What the fishermen did was to select the best catch of fish and the put them in the container, while the bad fish they are thrown at the seashore and die there, for if they throw them back to the sea they might be caught them again.  The same with us human beings, there are good people and bad people, hard to live with, poisonous people. What we see in this parable is that the good is selected and place in a good place, while the bad is thrown away, to suffer and die in a lonely place.

What do we understand in these parables?  What is the meaning of the Kingdom of God?

“‵Thus it will be at the end of the age.  The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous, and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth′.”  (Matthew 13: 49-50).  Jesus repeated what he said in the Parable of the Weeds, that is, “Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of this 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′.” (Matthew 13: 36-43). 

“‵Do you understand all these things? ′ They answered, ‵Yes.′ And he replied, ‵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′.” (Matthew 13: 51-52).   As compared to the scribes and Pharisees, and not the crowds who were all-knowing but without understanding for they depended on their own knowledge and interpretation of the Laws and the Prophets of old and even of the new testament, the disciples understood the meaning of the parables of the Kingdom of heaven, because they are simple, ordinary and humble fishermen, farmers, laborers, employees, people in the streets and in the peripheries..  They can identify themselves in the parables, for they are living on it even though they were not yet called by Jesus to follow him and become fishers of men and women. 

We too can know and understand the parables of the Kingdom of heaven, not merely just in listening to them, receiving them but without understanding them or studying them and put them into action; because the parables are simple, they are stores of ordinary daily living, common to all so we can live them, understand them, and put them into action.

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

July 19, 2020

Readings:

First Reading: Wisdom 12: 13, 16-19

Psalm 86 “Lord, you are good and forgiving.”

Second Reading: Romans 8: 26-27

Gospel reading according to Matthew 13: 24-43

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Homily:

Today′s gospel is a continuation of last week gospel, July 12, On the Parable of the Good Seed.  In today’s gospel, Jesus added three more parables, the Parable of the Weeds, the Parable of the Mustard Seed, and the Parable of Yeast, as he compared them to the Kingdom of heaven.  Why Jesus used parables to the crowds?  Did he not want to explain his teaching plainly and understandable to all?   Did he want to mislead his hearers and put into confusion?  Is it Jesus′ way in teaching the crowds? etc.

“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 our 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 whet into my barn′.” (Matthew 13: 24-30).

“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 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′.” (Matthew 13: 31-32).

“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′.” (Matthew 13: 33).

“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′.” (Matthew 13: 34-35).

“Then, dismissing the crowds, he went into the house.  His disciples approached him and said: ‵Explain to us the parable of weed 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 this 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′.” (Matthew 13: 36-43).

The Evangelist Matthew gave us his explanation why Jesus proposed and spoke in parables.  We find it in Matthew 13: 34-35, “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′.”

But what is the meaning of parable?

In today’s gospel, Jesus himself explained the Parable of the Weeds to his chosen ones, his disciples (or apostles). In that case, why Jesus revealed to his disciples the meaning of the parables?  The answer we can find in the gospel on the 14^th Sunday in OT (A) (July 4), that is, “. . . for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will . . . and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” (Matthew 11: 25-27).  His explanation in the Parable of the Weeds we found in Matthew 13: 36-43.  In the last verse of this gospel, Jesus repeated to his disciples what he said in the crowds in last week’s gospel (July 12, 15^th Sunday in OT (A)), that is, “Whoever has ears ought to hear′” (cf. Matthew 13: 9 and Mathew 13: 43).  This is his challenge to us his followers.  Do we listen/hear attentively to the words of Jesus in the gospel?  How often do we read, study, reflect and meditate, and put into action the words of Jesus in our day-to-day living? How can we share the words of Jesus to our neighbors diligently?  Does the words of Jesus change our lives as good Catholic Christians?

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

July 12, 2020

Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 55: 10-11

Psalm 65 “The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.”

Second Reading: Romans 8: 18-23

Gospel reading according to Matthew 13: 1-9

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Homily:

“On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down the sea” (Matthew 13: 1).

“Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore” (Matthew 13: 2).

“And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: ‵A sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up.  Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.  It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, ad when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots.  Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.  But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold” (Matthew 13: 3-8).

“Whoever has ears ought to hear” (Matthew 13: 9).

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

July 5, 2020

Readings:

First Reading: Zechariah 9: 9-10

Psalm 145 “I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.”

Second Reading: Romans 8: 9, 11-13

Gospel reading according to Matthew 11: 25-30

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Homily:

“At that time Jesus exclaimed: ‵I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones′.” (Matthew 11: 25).

“‵Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will′.” (Matthew 11: 26).

“‵All things have been handed over to me by my Father.  No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him′.” (Matthew 11: 27).

“‵Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest′.” (Matthew 11: 28).

“‵Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves′.” (Matthew 11: 29).

“‵For my yoke is easy, and m burden light′.” (Matthew 11: 30).