Monday 26th July 2010
GospelMt 13:31-35
31 He put another parable before them, 'The kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the biggest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air can come and shelter in its branches.' 33 He told them another parable, 'The kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through.' 34 In all this Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables; indeed, he would never speak to them except in parables. 35 This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet: I will speak to you in parables, unfold what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.
If your heart is good soil and the Word has fallen there, though nothing may appear just now one day ‘the mustard seed’ will bear fruit in you in a way beyond all imagining.. You will become ‘like God’ (1 Jn 3:1).How can you be good soil? Get your priorities right. May Jesus be the important person in your life. Meet him day by day. Share your life with him. He was the Mustard Seed. Tell him your plans. Ask his blessing. Ask most of all if they are his plans? Cultivate a life of dialogue with Jesus. Surrender to him in prayer and love. Remember, he treasures you. Live your life in Jesus. Just concentrate on always pleasing him. Without you knowing it you will be a leaven in other’s lives. They will be ‘lifted up’ by seeing you. Do you share each event in your day with Jesus?
Tuesday 27th July
Gospel
36 Then, leaving the crowds, he went to the house; and his disciples came to him and said, 'Explain to us the parable about the darnel in the field.' 37 He said in reply, 'The sower of the good seed is the Son of man. 38 The field is the world; the good seed is the subjects of the kingdom; the darnel, the subjects of the Evil One; 39 the enemy who sowed it, the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels. 40 Well then, just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time. 41 The Son of man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of falling and all who do evil, 42 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. 43 Then the upright will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Anyone who has ears should listen!
Let us note that Jesus has left the crowds and is talking to his disciples. They are keen to understand his message. The crowds listen without understanding. From now onwards Jesus concentrates on his disciples. Are you one? Have you their interest? There are finally only two classes of people – subjects of the Kingdom and subjects of the Evil One. As Jesus is at work sowing good seed in people’s hearts, so Satan is doing the opposite. Satan sows everywhere including the Church. Peter will be called ‘Satan’. What makes a person a subject of a kingdom? Those who do evil, cause others to fall, whoever they are, are subjects of the Evil One. The ‘upright’ are members of God’s Kingdom. Where do you fit in? Are your deeds upright or evil? The incorrigible subjects of Satan will be eternally punished along with him. Now is the time to listen.
Wednesday 28th July 2010
Gospel
'The kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off in his joy, sells everything he owns and buys the field. 45 'Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; 46 when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it
What is the treasure and what is the pearl? It is not something but Someone. The mystery is that in the Church we can find Jesus. This is not the Jesus everyone knows about. Who hasn’t heard of Jesus? It is to find a real Person who longs for you with all his heart. It is to realise that there is a Person and he is here who loves you dearly. When you have found this Person and are consumed with a love for him, then everything changes. Nothing else matters in life but to be with him and carry out his every wish. Money, possessions, power, name and fame all become irrelevant and no more worth than dust. Even precious human beings cannot take his place. We cannot live without him. Have you found the treasure? Are you on fire to buy the pearl? Pray that you find him.
Thursday 29th July 2010
Matthew13:47-53
'Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet that is cast in the sea and brings in a haul of all kinds of fish. 48 When it is full, the fishermen bring it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in baskets and throw away those that are no use. 49 This is how it will be at the end of time: the angels will appear and separate the wicked from the upright, 50 to throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. 51 'Have you understood all these?' They said, 'Yes.' 52 And he said to them, 'Well then, every scribe who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of Heaven is like a householder who brings out from his storeroom new things as well as old.' 53 When Jesus had finished these parables he left the district;
The sea is the world and the net is the
Church. After being cast into the sea the net is under the water and the fisherman does not know what he has in the net. There are all kinds of fish, good and bad. Likewise in the Church, there are all kinds of people. The truth will only be known at the end when the sorting is done. We may understand the end of time in different ways. For you the end of your life is the end of time. What kind of fish are you? More importantly, what kind of fish do you want to be? Only good fish can be kept. If you are a disciple you will have understood Jesus’ message and you will act on it. God speaks through the Old as well as the new Testament. We need both.
Friday 30th July
Matthew13:54-58
Jesus comes to his ‘hometown’ – Nazareth ?, Israel
Saturday 31st July 2010
Matthew 14:1-12
1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the reputation of Jesus 2 and said to his court, 'This is John the Baptist himself; he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.' 3 Now it was Herod who had arrested John, chained him up and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. 4 For John had told him, 'It is against the Law for you to have her.' 5 He had wanted to kill him but was afraid of the people, who regarded John as a prophet. 6 Then, during the celebrations for Herod's birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and so delighted Herod 7 that he promised on oath to give her anything she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother she said, 'Give me John the Baptist's head, here, on a dish.' 9 The king was distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he ordered it to be given her, 10 and sent and had John beheaded in the prison. 11 The head was brought in on a dish and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. 12 John's disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went off to tell Jesus.
Jesus was a solitary figure carrying out the will of his Father among people who had no time for God. He had no power or political influence. His was to speak the truth on God’s behalf. John too his forerunner had done the same. Rebuking Herod for his public immorality he met the fate of prophets throughout Israel
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