Friday, July 26, 2019
SATURDAY, 16th Week in Ordinary Time
July 27, 2019 - SATURDAY, 16th Week in Ordinary Time
Green.
Ex 24: 3 – 8 / Mt 13: 24 - 30
FROM THE 1ST READING: Ex 24: 3, 7 – 8
Moses came and told the people all the words of Yahweh and all his laws. The people replied with one voice: "Everything that Yahweh has said, we shall do." .. . .
Moses then took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. They said, "All that Yahweh said we shall do and obey." Moses then took the blood and sprinkled it on the people saying, "Here is the blood of the covenant that Yahweh has made with you in accordance with all these words."
GOSPEL READING: Mt 13: 24 – 30
Jesus told them another parable, "The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and left.
"When the plants sprouted and produced grain, the weeds also appeared. Then the servants of the owner came to him and said, `Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? Where did the weeds come from?'
"He answered them, `This is the work of an enemy.' They asked him, `Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?' He told them, `No, when you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat with them. Let them just grow together until harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the workers: Pull up the weeds first, tie them in bundles and burn them; then gather the wheat into my barn.'"
REFLECTION
The kingdom of heaven is a main theme of our Lord in all his teachings. It was the underlying reason for his ministry which he also entrusted to his disciples.
However, this was not very easy for his listeners to grasp then as it still is now for many of us. That was why he had to use many parables to describe the kingdom of heaven. As we know, the Jews could not just use the name of God so they understood that the "kingdom of heaven" really meant the "kingdom of God."
Now just what is this kingdom of God? Definitely our Lord Jesus did not mean it to be a place. That is why in the parables, he always described it using words "is like," "can be compared to."
Matthew's Gospel contains several kingdom parables, the mustard seed, the yeast, the sower and the seeds, the weeds among the wheat, the treasure in the field, the pearl of great price and also the fishing net. We can also understand "the kingdom of God" as "the reign of God." Therefore, with this understanding we can move away from the idea of place and location.
Despite this, most of us still understand this reign of God in a community or a place setting. Yes, we can see that both good and evil exist side by side anywhere at any time. So we pray that in our families, our society, country and world, God's reign and will prevail.
We also realize that in our own lives and heart, good and evil also exist side by side; and that the Church is made up of both saints and sinners. Since our God is a loving Father who respects the freedom given to his children, shall we allow his plans and will to reign over our hearts and lives?
FINALLY, WE PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ASKED OUR PRAYERS AND FOR THOSE WHO NEED OUR PRAYERS THE MOST.
Have a good day!
**************************************************
These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following:
+================================================+
| The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
| priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
| distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+
-- Green.
Ex 24: 3 – 8 / Mt 13: 24 - 30
FROM THE 1ST READING: Ex 24: 3, 7 – 8
Moses came and told the people all the words of Yahweh and all his laws. The people replied with one voice: "Everything that Yahweh has said, we shall do." .. . .
Moses then took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. They said, "All that Yahweh said we shall do and obey." Moses then took the blood and sprinkled it on the people saying, "Here is the blood of the covenant that Yahweh has made with you in accordance with all these words."
GOSPEL READING: Mt 13: 24 – 30
Jesus told them another parable, "The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and left.
"When the plants sprouted and produced grain, the weeds also appeared. Then the servants of the owner came to him and said, `Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? Where did the weeds come from?'
"He answered them, `This is the work of an enemy.' They asked him, `Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?' He told them, `No, when you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat with them. Let them just grow together until harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the workers: Pull up the weeds first, tie them in bundles and burn them; then gather the wheat into my barn.'"
REFLECTION
The kingdom of heaven is a main theme of our Lord in all his teachings. It was the underlying reason for his ministry which he also entrusted to his disciples.
However, this was not very easy for his listeners to grasp then as it still is now for many of us. That was why he had to use many parables to describe the kingdom of heaven. As we know, the Jews could not just use the name of God so they understood that the "kingdom of heaven" really meant the "kingdom of God."
Now just what is this kingdom of God? Definitely our Lord Jesus did not mean it to be a place. That is why in the parables, he always described it using words "is like," "can be compared to."
Matthew's Gospel contains several kingdom parables, the mustard seed, the yeast, the sower and the seeds, the weeds among the wheat, the treasure in the field, the pearl of great price and also the fishing net. We can also understand "the kingdom of God" as "the reign of God." Therefore, with this understanding we can move away from the idea of place and location.
Despite this, most of us still understand this reign of God in a community or a place setting. Yes, we can see that both good and evil exist side by side anywhere at any time. So we pray that in our families, our society, country and world, God's reign and will prevail.
We also realize that in our own lives and heart, good and evil also exist side by side; and that the Church is made up of both saints and sinners. Since our God is a loving Father who respects the freedom given to his children, shall we allow his plans and will to reign over our hearts and lives?
FINALLY, WE PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ASKED OUR PRAYERS AND FOR THOSE WHO NEED OUR PRAYERS THE MOST.
Have a good day!
**************************************************
These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following:
+================================================+
| The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
| priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
| distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+
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