REFLECTIONS TODAY
The Gospel reading that presents the longing of prophets and righteous people in the Old Testament fits the celebration of Sts. Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In giving birth to Mary, they announced the dawn of salvation which would come to fulfillment in their “grandson,” Jesus. In Jesus, the time of fulfillment has come, and the disciples are blessed because they experience the unfolding of salvation. On our part, do we regret the fact that we are not able to see Jesus face to face because we were born two millennia after him? In truth, the blessedness of encountering Jesus is not lost to us. He has given us greater opportunity for intimacy by remaining truly present in the Eucharist, in his Word, in the sacraments, in his ministers and the community of believers. We are truly blessed by his continuing presence in the Church!
Gospel • Matthew 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 seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seeds fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or 60 or 30 fold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.” *Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2023,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]); Website: [http://www.stpauls.ph](http://www.stpauls.ph).*