Jesus’s Parables – Reflection on Matthew 13:10-17
Our human minds must first surrender to God’s love so our hearts may open to comprehend Jesus’s parables. If we do so, Christ, in our lifetime, will reveal mysteries of the kingdom of heaven if you hear with the love within your heart and rely less on your intellect. It took me decades to comprehend that my intellect needing proof left me neutral in my relationship with God. Once love let my vulnerability rise to the surface, I began to understand far more. Handling mysteries comes with the responsibility to act and be present with God’s gifts. The more we absorb, the more we learn to allow Grace to flow through us to those who need it. A measure of accepting perception, enhanced listening skills, and being and doing with what is received is self-observation of the growth in humility while letting Christ’s light shine.
He Who is of God Hears the Word of God by James Tissot (full resolution painting)
More details are available on the Brooklyn Museum website.
Additional Ordinary Time Reflections
Matthew 13:10-17 – Scripture*
The Purpose of the Parables
10 Then the disciples came and asked him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 He answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 13 The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’ 14 With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:
‘You will indeed listen, but never understand,
and you will indeed look, but never perceive.
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and listen with their ears,
and understand with their heart and turn—
and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 Truly I tell 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.
Additional Thoughts
Thank you for meditating on this Gospel and reading this Lectio Divina on Matthew 13:10-17 Reflection – Jesus’s Parables.
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Prayer for young families:
Lord, let the young families of our communities get to know your joy, peace, comfort, and love despite the world’s distractions.
Attributions
This site has written permission to use the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) Bible for the Matthew 13 Bible passage.
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