Whoever has ears ought to hear
Published Jul 20, 2022 12:05 am
REFLECTIONS TODAY
As Jesus goes out of the house and sits down by the sea, large crowds gather around him. Sitting on a boat now, Jesus narrates the parable of the Sower, teaching the importance of listening to the Word of God. Our bodily instrument in listening is our ears. We will never learn from his teachings if we are not honing our ears to him. His soundbytes enter our hearts and minds through the ears. That is why, he says at the end of the parable, “Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
The four soils represent the kinds of persons and listeners who are standing along the beach. The first three samples of soils are not commendable because the seeds which are sown to them do not bear fruits due to their poor quality. But in the last sample, the rich soil yields a lot of fruits.
If we focus our attention to Jesus, discipline our minds, and refuse to be distracted by worldly cares, we, too, like the good soil, will bear much fruit which the Lord expects from us, listeners who have ears to hear.
First Reading • Jer 1:1, 4-10
The words of Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah, of a priestly family in Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin.
The word of the Lord came to me thus:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you. “Ah, Lord God!” I said, “I know not how to speak; I am too young.”
But the Lord answered me, Say not, “I am too young.” To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak. Have no fear before them, because I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.
Then the Lord extended his hand and touched my mouth, saying,
See, I place my words in your mouth! This day I set you over nations and over kingdoms, To root up and to tear down, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant.
Gospel • Mt 13:1-9
On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. 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, and 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. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” St. Pauls, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
As Jesus goes out of the house and sits down by the sea, large crowds gather around him. Sitting on a boat now, Jesus narrates the parable of the Sower, teaching the importance of listening to the Word of God. Our bodily instrument in listening is our ears. We will never learn from his teachings if we are not honing our ears to him. His soundbytes enter our hearts and minds through the ears. That is why, he says at the end of the parable, “Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
The four soils represent the kinds of persons and listeners who are standing along the beach. The first three samples of soils are not commendable because the seeds which are sown to them do not bear fruits due to their poor quality. But in the last sample, the rich soil yields a lot of fruits.
If we focus our attention to Jesus, discipline our minds, and refuse to be distracted by worldly cares, we, too, like the good soil, will bear much fruit which the Lord expects from us, listeners who have ears to hear.
First Reading • Jer 1:1, 4-10
The words of Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah, of a priestly family in Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin.
The word of the Lord came to me thus:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you. “Ah, Lord God!” I said, “I know not how to speak; I am too young.”
But the Lord answered me, Say not, “I am too young.” To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak. Have no fear before them, because I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.
Then the Lord extended his hand and touched my mouth, saying,
See, I place my words in your mouth! This day I set you over nations and over kingdoms, To root up and to tear down, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant.
Gospel • Mt 13:1-9
On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. 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, and 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. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” St. Pauls, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.