Commentary on 17th Sunday, year A, from “First Impressions”

By Jude Siciliano, O.P., from “First Impressions” 2023, a service of the Southern Dominican Province:

“Such a deal!” You can almost hear the young king Solomon say that to God in our first reading. Imagine getting an invitation from the Almighty, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.” What an opportunity! Who wouldn’t want to have such an offer from One who could give anything? Makes us wonder what we might ask for if God gave us a blank check. So much to ask for! Where to start? How to choose?

Solomon the young king and son of David, is about to take the throne. We now know him by his reputation for wisdom. When we refer to someone as having “the wisdom of Solomon,” it is high praise. But at this stage in his life and reign, Solomon isn’t feeling very wise. He knew what he needed to reign properly: he needed wisdom and he also knew he couldn’t get it on his own. Only God could give him this gift, so wisdom is what he asks for in response to God’s magnanimous offer. Solomon didn’t have to climb a distant mountain, or succeed at Herculean tasks to get the wisdom he would need to rule well. He just had to ask for it.

Biblical wisdom is about everyday life; it concerns practical matters and guides us in living a godly life. Readers familiar with the bible will know the unique qualities of this wisdom. A person of wisdom may not be the most intellectually brilliant person in the room. When the bible speaks of a wise person, a wisdom figure like Solomon, or a prophet, it presents a person who is closely attuned to God. The wise one and God have a strong and intimate relationship and the recipient of wisdom is characterized by very practical, everyday knowledge that enables him/her to live an ethically upright life.

Solomon isn’t asking for esoteric knowledge about other-worldly mysteries. He knows as a ruler he will have to make decisions between right and wrong, not only for himself, but for the people he has been chosen to lead. He wants to be a good king, one who rules in conformity with God’s ways. Unfortunately, later in his life, we learn that Solomon betrays God’s will and becomes self-seeking. Since he was also the ruler, the nation of Israel suffers dire consequences for his betrayals of God. Still, at this early stage we can learn from Solomon about the importance of the divine gift of wisdom as we struggle to live out our Christian calling in some very ambiguous situations. We want to live good lives that reflect the divine life in us we have through baptism. We repent those thoughts and actions that were unwise and pulled us away from God. We, in short, are sorry for the things we have said and done that have hurt others… if only we had acted more wisely.

Remember two Sundays ago, Matthew began this parable discourse with Jesus’ sitting down in a boat to teach. He presents Jesus as a wisdom teacher and thus suggests to us that the wisdom we seek is given us in Jesus. He is wisdom made flesh; his actions and words are our guidance for daily life and his life in us keeps us in intimate relationship with God. When we need to know how to live and act in conformity to God’s will, Jesus is our guide. In today’s gospel he is the wise teacher who invites us to ponder and learn God’s ways; he does this by telling his disciples parables.

Today’s gospel reading is comparatively short. The lectionary even gives a shorter option. I would use the whole passage for the proclamation, but focus on one of the parables for the preaching. There are plenty of preaching possibilities in each parable. Let’s look at the first two and leave the decision up to each preacher which to choose for a focus.

Each of today’s parables is introduced in the same way, “The kingdom of heaven is like…” (Matthew prefers “kingdom of heaven” so as to avoid using God’s name; Mark and Luke use, “kingdom of God.”) First a reminder. When a parable begins in this way it is not saying the kingdom is like a treasure, a pearl or a net. Rather, the kingdom is like what happens in each complete story. Jesus’ basic message was that God’s kingdom/reign/dominion had come near. The kingdom is present when God’s sovereignty, actions and presence are felt. It is where and when God’s will is being done and God’s rule accepted and acted upon. Those who live in accordance with God’s will might then hope to enter the kingdom when it finally comes in its fulness.

We are of an age and culture that looks for things neatly defined and clearly described. If only Jesus had satisfied our need for exactness and given a precise definition of what the kingdom is and exactly where and when it occurs. If he had, we would have a precise measurement, or standard to apply. We would then be able to say, “This is definitely of the kingdom of God; this definitely not.” Of course, that would put us in control. Then other people and events would depend on us for our stamp of approval where and in whom God was acting. Instead, with parables like today’s, we have the opposite. We hear that God’s reign is multi-colored and multi-layered. We see only part of it; just when it seems to be only here… it pops up over there too – in the most unlikely places and occasions. You just can’t box in God’s movements and inspirations. In his gospel John would say it this way, “The Spirit of God blows where it will…”

Let’s look at the “issue” of the buried and found treasure. Listeners to this parable have countered by saying the one who found the treasure is dishonest. They claim he should have reported the find to the “rightful owner.” But Jesus is not teaching about honesty here and it is not uncommon for his parables to contain characters who act in a shady way. Jesus uses worldly stories to open our eyes to the acts of the divine in our midst. He is focusing on a person’s finding a treasure, realizing its value, rejoicing and selling everything to get what is so precious. We also have to remember the times and circumstances. It wasn’t usual for people to bury valuables during times of conflict, invasion, or insecurity. Who knows? Maybe the one who buried the treasure had died; or the plot may have now been under a foreign power, like the Romans. There are numerous possibilities to explain the treasure’s presence in the field. We do best to stay with the parable: a person finds a treasure and does what he must to get it.

What a risk he is willing to take, for he sells all he has! It’s parallel to what Jesus is asking his disciples to do; to leave everything else and invest their well-being and future in him. Isn’t Jesus a “hidden treasure” for us too? Grace to follow him has been freely given us and we are invited to celebrate this “find” with joy and total dedication. We preachers will want to avoid moralizing this parable, i.e. making its primary thrust just a moral teaching and then telling people what they ought to do. Remember, the finder does nothing to earn the treasure, nor does Jesus, in this case, stress the sacrifice required to acquire it. Recognition, joy, “pure luck” and excitement dominate the emotions of the fortunate finder. At today’s Eucharist why not celebrate the sheer gift God has given us in Jesus and the constant renewal of that gift through another gift – the Holy Spirit?

The second parable varies slightly from the first; we have a merchant out searching for fine pearls. Yet, the two parables have some common elements: the discovery, joy (which we presume for the merchant since he finds what he has been searching for) and a follow-up action. The first parable has a clear element of surprise to it. How often have we found in a person, or a situation, something so good that we realize, even though we weren’t aware we were searching, we have found a treasure? Or, have we ever searched for something meaningful for our lives, found it and it was even better than we had ever hoped? While we put so much into our search, we realize we received so much more than our efforts warranted. When things like this happen, we can hear an echo of Jesus’ introduction to the parables – with a slight modification, “There, that’s what the kingdom of God is like!” The bottom line… it’s about grace. (Cf. Quotable)

In the parables we encounter God’s gracious rule. Judging from the two parables we focused on, the treasure and pearl, this rule is not something to fear. Instead, we learn that God’s reign promotes vitality, freedom and a sense of having found what we have always really wanted. We know life and service in the reign Jesus is proclaiming, will require sacrifice. But these parables encourage us to take the plunge, they tell us, “it is worth whatever you must change, or give up.”

In both parables the investment is total. Each person has taken a huge gamble by selling “all that he/she has.” What guarantee do they have? What have they done to hedge their investments in case they have made a mistake? They haven’t, instead they have plunged ahead without reserve. Is God and Jesus’ way worth the full gamble of our lives? In the parables, the wise Jesus tells us it is. He should know, he has first hand experience. It’s like a friend of mine, who rushed head long into the ocean and when he came up for air, turned to me and shouted, “Come on in, the water’s fine!” And so I did, because he was already in the water and I trusted him.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 23, 2023

We are the crop of the Lord

Matthew 13:24–43

The shorter form of the reading consists of verses 24-30 only (The Parable of the Weeds Among the Wheat)

[The Parable of the Weeds Among the Wheat]
He proposed another parable to them. “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. The slaves of the householder came to him and said, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.”

[The Parable of the Mustard Seed]
He proposed another parable to them. “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’”

[The Parable of the Yeast]
He spoke to them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened.”

[The Use of Parables]
All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He spoke to them only in parables, to fulfill what had been said through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation [of the world].”

[The Explanation of the Parable of the Weeds]
Then, dismissing the crowds, he went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Just as weeds are collected and burned [up] with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.

Further study:

Matthew chapter 13 >> [usccb.org]

This is the second of three consecutive Sundays on which the gospel reading comes from this chapter. The discourse in parables is the third great discourse of Jesus in Matthew and constitutes the second part of the third book of the gospel. Matthew follows the Marcan outline (Mk 4:1–35) but has only two of Mark’s parables, the five others being from Q and M. In addition to the seven parables, the discourse gives the reason why Jesus uses this type of speech (Mt 13:10–15), declares the blessedness of those who understand his teaching (Mt 13:16–17), explains the parable of the sower (Mt 13:18–23) and of the weeds (Mt 13:36–43), and ends with a concluding statement to the disciples (Mt 13:51–52).

Music Meditations

• “Lord, You Have the Words” (music by Tony Alonso) [YouTube]
• “Open My Eyes, Lord” (by Jesse Manibusan) [YouTube]
• “Psalm 19” (Acapeldridge) [YouTube]
• “The Lord Is My Light” (sung by The New Jerusalem Baptist Church Choir) [YouTube] (a long recording—10 minutes)
• “Be Thou My Vision” (sung by Nathan Pacheco) [YouTube]
• “Be Thou My Vision” (sung by 4Him) [YouTube] (a Celtic version)

Opening Prayer

God, you are merciful to me and others. You give us time and space to grow in your love. Help me to be receptive to your grace and give me the courage to change what needs to be changed and the wisdom to allow myself and others to flourish at your pace, not ours.

Companions for the Journey

from “First Impressions”, a service of the Southern Dominican Province, by Jude Siciliano, O.P.:

Today we have the parable of the weeds and the wheat—and we need it. We tune in sports events and ask, “Who’s winning?” We also tune in the world around us through tv, newspapers, radio and now internet coverage and are tempted to ask the same question, “Who’s winning…Good or Evil?…The decent people of the world or the violators of innocence?” The twentieth century was the most brutal in the history of the world. Aren’t things supposed to be improving as we advance as a people? It gets discouraging; the evidence mounts against optimism. We tend to want give up on the world and wonder where God is in it all.

Which is why we need to look at the parables and, in particular, today’s parable about weeds and wheat. The early church, the recipients of Matthew’s gospel, had to face the mystery of wickedness too. Why is there evil in the world, in the church and in our own hearts? That’s a very big question and this parable doesn’t give an easy answer. It doesn’t explain it at all! But neither does it ignore the problem of evil in our midst. The owner of the field says it quite plainly, “I see an enemy’s hand in this.” This is not a naive or other-worldly parable. It faces the facts: wickedness is very real, it can’t be ignored. It is not an illusion and, like the weeds in the midst of healthy plants, evil drains human life of its vitality and dedication. We see the weeds, not just in the world out there, but “up close and personal.”

The parable spoke to an early church that had its divisions, arguments and wickedness—why else would they have saved the parable? Our own congregations also have “issues.” Sometimes they feel like they will split us in two—and sometimes they do. Our faith communities have been rocked by clergy scandal; divided along ethnic and racial lines; between original members and newcomers; between traditionalists and those who want to update. While we are at it, we look into our hearts and examine our own conduct. Weeds are part of the landscape of our personal spiritual field as well.

Such vistas of evil, so obvious to us, make us want to get about the business of ripping out the weeds. They are the work of the enemy, we say and we want to purge evil from our country, church and our own hearts. Of course we have standards to guide us and there are times we must act decisively against the evil we perceive. Yet, the parable cautions us and it advises us about the dangers of rushing to judgment. We could destroy what is good in our attempts to rid the world of the bad. Jesus knew from his own experience that you can’t always tell from initial signs how things are going to turn out.

In the beginning Judas showed promise, early initiative and administrative skills—he was in charge of the purse. He seemed like excellent disciple material, a “keeper.” If you were Jesus, wouldn’t you have thought about eliminating Peter, Thomas or Martha? They didn’t show initial signs of discernment and understanding of what following Jesus would entail. They were slow to catch on to Jesus’ message. But Jesus was patient, he let the good work itself out in their lives. He gave them a chance to grow and bear fruit.

Have you ever had a friend whom you disliked upon first meeting, yet, over time, he or she turned out to be your best friend? The parable says, “You never know.” The parable is a story of grace for us. As we look into our own lives and recall the mistakes we have made and the wrongs we have done, aren’t we glad we have had some time to change and work things out? Aren’t we thankful we had the space to let the wheat grow and bear the rich harvest it has? Suppose we had been judged on the spot. Suppose God moved in quickly to judge and rip up? If we look at our present lives, we can still see what looks like weeds. Rather than being overcome by discouragement, we hear this parable of hope. Time is being given us, to let the good seed planted in us bear its fruit. We can trust the Owner knows what to do, and we can have trust in the outcome. This is a parable of confidence. God is in charge and will help us work things out. We don’t give up the struggle to do what is right, even when we feel dismayed at how much still needs to be done. Parables, like pieces of ribbon, don’t look powerful—a piece of cloth—a story. But they have power to touch us deeply. One symbolizes our unity through an exterior sign. The other gathers our faith and asks us to put trust in it—especially to trust the One who is telling us the parable right now. We wear the parable on our hearts; the way people wear ribbons—as a reminder.

When the world confounds us and evidence seems to mount against our hopes, we look inside ourselves and see today’s parable. We play it back so we can hear it again. It reassures us. We repeat it in our assemblies to stir us to action: to return to the struggle; to ignore the odds; to stop counting wins and losses—mostly, not to count our losses! In our struggle against evil, we keep at it, till Someone in charge sends word that it is time for the harvest; till Someone, who knows better than we how to do the sorting, gets around to it. The parable links us together here at our assembly. It stirs us hope in us. We are not dismayed by what still needs doing. There is no doubt in the story: the Owner is in charge. The Owner planted good seed and it is growing towards fruition and there will be a sorting-out—but later, under Someone else’s supervision. Meanwhile, we still have time to let what is good grow in our lives. What time is it? The parable says, “There’s still time, hang in there!”

Thank God!

Weekly Memorization

Taken from the gospel for today’s session…

If you pull up the weeds, you might pull up the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest.

Living the Good News

What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?

Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:

Reflection Questions

• In Matthew, a parable is both a riddle and a revelation. Sometimes, we think the message is obvious until some twist or inconsistency causes us to look more deeply, sometimes without answers. Are these three parables riddles or revelations for you?
• Is it hard to understand why God does not simply remove the “weeds” in our lives?
  Are we surprised or even irritated by God’s passivity?
  Do I truly believe that God will have the last word?
• Are there both weeds and wheat in my own life?
  In my own personality?
  Which is prevalent?
• What are the “weeds”, or limitations and evils found in my culture?
  In my relationships?
  In my religion?
  In my personal make up?
• Have I ever been, through word or example, the weeds in someone else’s struggle to grow in God’s grace?
• Do I/have I become more robust in my faith as I struggle to be strong enough to overcome the weeds in my life?
  What is the role of personal humility in this struggle?
• An undeniable message of this parable is to refrain from judging myself or others. We cannot give up too soon. Do I really believe that God is not finished with me yet?
  Do I believe that God has given up on someone or some persons in my life, or on certain situations?
  Am I willing to wait for God to complete the solution before rushing to do it myself by excluding or destroying another?
• Jesus does not condone what is not of God, yet he seems to acknowledge that different motivations and spirits are at work. How may I let this spirit of Jesus shape my life? (from “Sacred Space”)
• What is my position in this all-too-familiar struggle between good and evil?
  Am I a spectator, an armchair critic, a consumer, or a warrior?
  Do I consider myself a co-worker with God trying to bring about truth, peace and justice?
  If I am a co-worker, what authority to I have to dismiss or punish others?
• Has there been a person in my life whom I saw change from “weeds” to “wheat”?
  Did I stick with him or her through that growth?
  If so, what kept me hanging in there?
  If not, what would I have done differently?
• I try to look at my own “inner landscape” as a field that was sown with God’s word at my Baptism. Where has God’s word taken root in my life?
  Do I see any “weeds” (attitudes or behaviors which run counter to the kingdom) choking out that word?
  What am I going to do about it?
• Have there ever been projects in my life, personal, academic or professional, which started out small and then flourished beyond my expectations?
  How did that happen?
  What elements were in play: timing, God’s help, hard work or luck?
• I recall a time in my life when someone saw my raw potential and gave me the time to develop it.
  Has this happened in the spiritual realm as well?
• Have I ever seen someone’s faith and determination expand into something beyond all expectations?

Meditations

A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:

Adapted from “Sacred Space”, a service of the Irish Jesuits:

Sometimes we think that perfection is acquired by becoming aware of our faults and working to root these out. However, when we become more familiar with Jesus’ attitude to the limited and sinful side of ourselves, we learn to accept our limited and sinful self just as Jesus did with Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). If we don’t accept this side of ourselves, we tend to become fixated with it and fail to appreciate the fullness of life Jesus has already given us. Am I frustrated and baffled by the presence of evil in my midst, or in myself? Do I believe that Good will have the last word? Do I believe that God’s grace is at work in the world and in me? Can I cultivate patience and tolerance toward myself, and toward others? I sit with Jesus and let Him teach me to let the weeds grow with the wheat in my life. I ask for help to appreciate all that is good and beautiful about my life.

A Meditation in the Franciscan Style/Action:

People often confuse the phrase “kingdom of heaven” with heaven itself. Instead, it refers to Jesus’ dream of a better, more perfect world in which God’s ideals replace human selfishness. We pray for this whenever we say the Lord’s Prayer (Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven). We need to remember, however, that the kingdom will not come to be without the efforts of people to change themselves (personal conversion) and without their efforts to change unjust and murderous power structures as well. Pray the Lord’s prayer every day this week, stopping for a few moments to reflect on what you are doing personally to bring about God’s kingdom on earth. Then pick one or two attitudinal things you can work to change yourself, and at least one action you can take on behalf of those suffering from poverty, systemic prejudice, a flawed justice system. Do it.

A Meditation in the Augustinian Style/Relationship:

Sometimes when we think of God, we have an unconscious fear that God’s mission is primarily to separate the wheat from the chaff. Often religions have emphasized heaven and hell, reward and punishment, to scare us into doing the right thing. This kind of God is a “gotcha” God, waiting to pounce on our mistakes and consigning us to the eternal fire. Some of these notions of God are echoed in well-known literary references, such as Dante’s Inferno, which teach us to fear eternal punishment and to trod the straight and narrow.

Several fictional characters who have made their way into popular culture reinforce this image: The Queen of Hearts, a character from the 1865 book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, is a foul-tempered monarch whom Carroll himself describes as “a blind fury”, and who is quick to give death sentences at the slightest offense. One of her most famous lines is the oft-repeated “Off with his/her head!” / “Off with their heads!”

Another fictional character to be feared is none other than Santa Claus:
"You better watch out you better not cry, you better not pout; I’m telling you why: Santa Claus is coming to town!
He’s making a list; He’s checking it twice; He’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice: Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you’re sleeping; He knows when you’re awake; He knows if you’ve been bad or good; So be good for goodness sake!

Too often, in our spiritual life, we forget that we cannot love what we fear. Obedience out of fear is coercion, and obedience out of love is, well, love! This parable from Matthew (13:24-30) makes it clear that God has planted us here on earth and is waiting and hoping that we will grow into the kind of person that would want to be with God. Do I need to readjust my notions of God as the “big narc in the sky”, and look seriously at my motivations for doing God’s will? Do really desire a loving relationship with God and are my thoughts and actions shaped by this love? How can prayer help create and intensify my loving relationship with God?

Poetic Reflection:

Too often, we identify with the chaff (weeds) in this gospel, not worthy of God’s love and grace. Mary Oliver shows us that even the most ordinary person, a person with a prayer life that others may frown upon, is also a person who just might be included in God’s kingdom:

“Praying”

It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones, just
pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t
a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak

from Thirst

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord, give me the humility to see the weeds in my life; give me the courage to grow my good qualities so that they mitigate the less savory ones. Give me the compassion to understand the struggles others are going through and keep me from judging others too harshly. Above all, keep me from destroying in myself others what I perceive as weeds and let God do the weeding…

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 16, 2023

What words of Jesus have stayed with me, what words have not?

Matthew 13:1–23

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.”

[The Purpose of Parables]
The disciples approached him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because ‘they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.’ Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: ‘You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see.
Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart and be converted,
and I heal them.’

[The Privilege of Discipleship]
“But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to 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.

[The Explanation of the Parable of the Sower]
“Hear then the parable of the sower. The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

Further study:

Matthew chapter 13 >> [usccb.org]

We will be reading this chapter in Matthew for this Sunday and the two following Sundays… The discourse in parables is the third great discourse of Jesus in Matthew and constitutes the second part of the third book of the gospel. Matthew follows the Marcan outline (Mk 4:1–35) but has only two of Mark’s parables, the five others being from Q and M. In addition to the seven parables, the discourse gives the reason why Jesus uses this type of speech (Mt 13:10–15), declares the blessedness of those who understand his teaching (Mt 13:16–17), explains the parable of the sower (Mt 13:18–23) and of the weeds (Mt 13:36–43), and ends with a concluding statement to the disciples (Mt 13:51–52).

Music Meditations

• “Lord, You Have the Words” (music by Tony Alonso) [YouTube]
• “Open My Eyes, Lord” (by Jesse Manibusan) [YouTube]
• “Psalm 19” (Acapeldridge) [YouTube]
• “The Lord Is My Light” (sung by The New Jerusalem Baptist Church Choir) [YouTube] (a long recording—10 minutes)
• “Be Thou My Vision” (sung by Nathan Pacheco) [YouTube]
• “Be Thou My Vision” (sung by 4Him) [YouTube] (a Celtic version)

Opening Prayer

Dear Lord: Open the eyes of my heart so that I both see and know how to find your wisdom and your hope in my everyday life. Help me to make space in my heart for the word of God. May I always seek your advice, even when my life is crowded with distractions and worries. Teach me the secrets of your Kingdom. Teach me how to be your disciple.

Companions for the Journey

In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus is portrayed as the New Moses, who has come to fulfill the law and the promise of the Jewish scriptures. There are five distinct teaching segments in the gospel, designed to make a direct reference to the five books of the Jewish Torah. The term Five Discourses of Matthew refers to five specific teaching occasions by Jesus within this gospel, and these discourses are used by Matthew to retell the entirety of the Old Testament, demonstrating that Christ is the fulfillment of all that was promised therein. The five discourses are listed as the following: the Sermon on the Mount (5-7), the Missionary Discourse, (10) the Parables of the Kingdom Discourse (13), the Discourse on the Church (18), and the Discourse on End Times (23-25). The parabolic discourse demonstrates how Jesus uses parables to get his message out to those who will hear.

The following commentary for preachers on today’s section of chapter 13 is from Elizabeth Johnson, Professor at Lutheran Seminary:

It is not difficult to find contemporary examples of the various responses to the word depicted in Jesus’ parable. Having the word choked out by “the cares of the world and the lure of wealth” seems to be a particular problem in North America. One should be careful, however, to avoid equating the various types of soil with a particular person or group, and especially to avoid equating oneself or one’s community with the good soil.

If we are honest with ourselves, we can probably find evidence of several kinds of soil in our lives and in our congregations on any given day. It is noteworthy that Jesus does not use the parable to exhort hearers to “be good soil,” as though we could make that happen. If there is any hope for the unproductive soil, it is that the sower keeps sowing generously, extravagantly, even in the least promising places. Jesus’ investment in his disciples shows that he simply will not give up on them, in spite of their many failings. We trust that he will not give up on us either, but will keep working on whatever is hardened, rocky, or thorny within and among us. We trust in his promise to be with us to the end of the age.

As those entrusted with Jesus’ mission today, we might consider the implications of this parable for how we engage in mission. Too often we play it safe, sowing the word only where we are confident it will be well received, and only where those who receive it are likely to become contributing members of our congregations. In the name of stewardship, we hold tightly to our resources, wanting to make sure that nothing is wasted. We stifle creativity and energy for mission, resisting new ideas for fear they might not work – as though mistakes or failure were to be avoided at all costs.

Jesus’ approach to mission is quite at odds with our play-it-safe instincts. He gives us freedom to take risks for the sake of the gospel. He endorses extravagant generosity in sowing the word, even in perilous places. Though we may wonder about the wisdom or efficiency of his methods, Jesus promises that the end result will be a bumper crop.

Weekly Memorization

Taken from the gospel for today’s session…

Whoever has ears ought to hear.

Living the Good News

What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?

Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:

Reflection Questions

• What kind of heart/mind does it take to understand the parables?
• Are there parts of my heart that are open/welcome to God’s word?
  Are there parts of my heart that find certain parts of the word of God more difficult?
• Are there some teachings that I just cannot get on board with?
• Has there ever been a teaching/command of Jesus that took a long time to grow in my heart?
• Have there ever been projects about which I was enthusiastic initially, but languished after I got bored or distracted?
• Do we sometimes get so tired of hearing the same old things from friends, family, God that we eventually stop listening?
• Do I feel fortunate to have been exposed in a deeper way to the teachings of Jesus, either through prayer, or through a reading or discussion group?
• Who have been the moral advisors in my life?
  Have I dismissed them out of hand?
  Have I responded by taking their words to heart?
  Have I outgrown their teaching/world view?
• What does it mean to me to have “ears to hear”?
• How receptive is my heart at this moment to learn, to grow, to change?
  Which is the hardest to do?
• Has there ever been a time when I heard the message of Christ, but let it lie on the edge of my consciousness where it withered?
  Did I say that I had “outgrown” it?
• Do I share Jesus’ optimism about the Kingdom?
• Do I get discouraged when my do not bear fruit?
  How does “herd mentality” affect my decisions?
• Have I ever planted a seed of wisdom in someone else’s heart and help him/her with discernment?
  How did it make me feel?
• Have the four stalking horses of defeat (skeptical observations, cynical comments, despairing attitudes or unkind words) ever caused my faith or my optimism to wither and die? Have I ever spoken in such ways and thus discouraged another’s optimism or faith?

Meditations

A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:

This parable contain the four outcomes of the breaking of God’s word in our lives.

Sometimes, God’s message gets destroyed by our culture or our own selfishness so that it never had a chance to thrive. When in my life have I simply brushed off the teaching of Jesus before really listening because it did not fit my world view or my lifestyle?

Other times, God’s message falls on rocky ground, where the roots are not strong enough to sustain it. How many times have I embarked on a promise or obligation, but did not follow through because my heart was not really into it?

Again, God’s message could also fall among thorns which choke out God’s words. How often have my own good intentions gotten lost in the din of the conflicting messages the world has to offer?

And finally, God’s word falls on deep rich soil, where they take root and grow into something truly wonderful. When in my life have I experienced the satisfaction and joy of seeing my life or that of another completely turn around because the message of Jesus got through and actually blossomed?

Think of a time in which God was speaking to you in the events of your life. Were you aware of it at the time? How did you respond? What words of Jesus have actually taken root in your life, and which are struggling to survive?

A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination:

Adapted from “Sacred Space”, a service of the Irish Jesuits:

I allow my imagination to dwell with the scene that Jesus presents, picturing the growth, identifying threats to it. I take care not to allow the weeds and barrenness to dominate but accept that God pictures a flourishing harvest and never gives up that hope for me.

As I think of myself as the field in which the word of God is scattered, I may recognize the barren places, the dry patches and the fertile parts. To which do I pay attention? I take some time to appreciate where God’s word has found a root in me and I ask God’s help to remain open to such seed as may be scattered again today.

I read this passage slowly as if I am looking at the mirror of my heart. I probably discover that I have at different moments all the four reactions Jesus describes in the parable. I ask myself how I can grow in my freedom to accept God’s word to me, precisely where the challenge is greatest.

A Meditation in the Augustinian Style/Relationship:

Psalm 65 is a great hymn of praise, marveling that God hears our prayers, that God answers our prayers, and that God’s grace is visited upon the earth resulting in abundance. Think of things you have prayed for. Have your prayers been answered? In the way you expected or in some greater way? Then look at the world around you. What examples do you find of God’s enrichment of the earth? Take a walk, just concentrating on the beauty of God’s ongoing care for the natural world. Write your own psalm of thanksgiving, using the insights you have gathered from your meditations.

Poetic Reflection:

Here, in a poem by Father Ed Ingebretsen, S.J., is a commentary/meditation on the parables of Jesus:

“The Jesus Prayer” (II)

Jesus taught in parables
and made geography
our greatest—
the precise placing of God
astride the master boat
disarming the wind
riding the road into rock
shaping the one word
needed to free death.

In parables
of ropes, nets and fish,
in the tangle of catching
and feeding, in sowing,
in graces of going
to hear stones sing lakeside—here
Jesus took our name
and wore it
like a fine love.
This, his
major parable.

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord, this is a message of hope for us all. Our hearts contain all four sorts of ground, being more or less open to what your told us so long ago and what you are telling me now. We need to focus on all of the places in our hearts and the hearts of others where your word has taken root. Keep me from discouragement when I see that your words have not borne fruit, either in my own soul or in the world at large. Give me the eyes to see where good things are happening and help me to be optimistic about the future of my own life and the life of this planet

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 9, 2023

God will help us with the burdens we carry in this life

Matthew 11:25–30

At that time Jesus said in reply, “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

Music Meditations

• “Ubi Caritas” (Taizé) [YouTube]
• “Come to Me” (by Aaron Shust) [YouTube]
• “I Have Loved You” (by Michael Joncas) [YouTube]
• “On Eagle’s Wings” (by Michael Joncas and Craig Kingsbury) [YouTube]
• “The Ground” (“Pleni sunt caeli”) (composed by Ola Gjeilo)

Opening Prayer

I ask, Lord, for the grace to be among the little ones, able to thank you for your greatness and to wonder at your love for me. Give me, as well, the grace to recognize my own arrogance and exaggerated sense of self-worth based upon what I know or my position in life. Help me to be open to your invitation to lay down my burdens and rest in the peace of your presence in my life. Help me to be a place of refuge for others who are burdened at this time with worry or grief. Give me your compassionate heart.

Companions for the Journey

From “First Impressions” 2023, a service of the Southern Dominican Province:

There is a tone of mystery in the opening verse of today’s gospel as Jesus praises God for having, “hidden these things from the wise and learned....” What does he mean and why would God do that? Jesus has just finished speaking to his disciples – the “little ones.” They have received his message and are about to go out to spread it. The gospel begins with verse 25, but it always helps to check the context from which a passage is taken. Looking back at the sequence leading up to today’s passage we notice: John the Baptist is in prison (11:2) and Jesus responds to criticism against himself with the complaint that his generation acts like finicky and self-willed children (vs. 16-19), who want things their way and no other. Both John and Jesus just haven’t conformed to the people’s expectations about what God’s salvation should look like. So, Jesus accuses them of being stubborn. He tells them that they are never satisfied: they didn’t accept a strict John the Baptist, nor a freer Jesus, who opened his arms to sinners and sat at table with those beyond the religious pale.

It’s obvious that finicky religious people didn’t just exist 2,000 years ago! People (us too?) never seem satisfied with the way the church and local parish are. There is always much to criticize and we have plenty of excuses to hold back fuller participation. It’s possible though, that our closer involvement might help the community and the leadership we criticize become a better reflection of Christian living and worship. Or, are we also guilty of Jesus’ charge against the stubborn generation? It’s true we don’t have a perfect church, or world. So, what are we going to do about it? One response, in the light of today’s gospel, is to pray for a deeper commitment and response to Christ and to ask to be open to the revelation he has for us this day. How can we be less stubborn and more fully responsive to his invitation, “Come to me...”?

We learn still more about today’s gospel by looking back to what leads up to it. Jesus has met rejection in Galilee by a stubborn generation. Hostility is growing, particularly from the religious leaders, the very ones who, if they had accepted him, could have promoted his message to the ordinary people. Jesus hoped for a better response to his ministry, how hard it must have been for him to see his project of spreading the good news thwarted. From this point in Matthew’s gospel those who accept Jesus are fewer in number. It looks like the result of his work is on a downward curve. Nevertheless, what sounds mysterious to us is that he gives thanks to God for those few who are receiving him and his message. He isn’t focused on the many who are rejecting, but on the few who are accepting him. They are the ones he calls, the “little ones” – little in religious and social importance, and little/few in numbers.

In his prayer, Jesus shows his acceptance of God’s plan. The episode opens with, “at that time....” What time is that? It is the time when: Jesus’ Galilean ministry is facing the population’s rejection and his message (”these things”) is “hidden...from the wise and learned.” But the “little ones,” who know nothing about the fine points of theology and few things of religion, who are considered unclean and sinners by the establishment – they get the message. They hear what it offers, God’s grace for them through Jesus, and they accept it. The sinners, prostitutes and tax collectors, who don’t even know religious law, much less keep it, are the ones to receive forgiveness and welcome at Jesus’ table.

There are “little ones” a preacher meets along the way. Some may be very educated, others may not have much education, or sophistication in religious matters. But they do seem to have grasped the essence, or heart of Jesus’ teachings. They possess a wisdom, given them through their life experience which enables them, as if by second nature: to know right from wrong; respond heroically to those in need; make large sacrifices of time, energy and money for their families and community and take the side of the outsider, poor and vulnerable. Jesus says, “No one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal God.” When we meet a “little one,” we sense they “know” Jesus and his Father in a unique and intimate way. These are the kind of people over whom Jesus rejoices today, they are the gifts God gave to Jesus in his lifetime and continues to give now. For them, then and now, Jesus is most grateful and filled with joy, even though he has plenty of reason to be disappointed in the response he is getting more and more from his contemporaries.

Today we sense the relationship Jesus has with his Father. When he talks about “knowing” the Father and “knowing” Jesus, he is talking about knowledge in the biblical sense. While we know topics by studying and though we can even know a person by reading and getting information about him or her, to “know” someone in the bible is to have an experience of them. So God’s knowledge of Jesus is very personal and direct, as is Jesus’ knowledge of God. Jesus says to his disciples, the “little ones,” by their coming to know him, they now know God. They know, through Jesus, that the Father has the same concern and love for us that Jesus showed. We too “know” God because of the life Jesus has lived for us and the relationship he offers us. There is an equality between Jesus and his Father, they know each other intimately and are working “hand in glove” together for our well being.

Religion could be a terrible burden for the unlettered and untutored of Jesus’ day. So much to know and, for desperately poor peasants, so little leisure time to learn. For those who were burdened by the guilt incurred by numerous violations of religious law, the “yoke” Jesus offers is his own “yoke.” It is rest and welcome for the religious outsider. The very ones religion considers unworthy of God are the ones Jesus is reaching out to welcome, “Come to me all who labor and are burdened....Take my yoke....” What book would someone study who wants to follow Jesus’ way? What tomes, laws and religious commentaries? How will they get his way right?

Jesus invites the “little ones” to come to him – to “read” and “study” him. Matthew’s gospel has a strong wisdom theme, reminiscent of the wisdom books of the Hebrew scriptures. Jesus is a wisdom teacher and today’s reading captures a moment in which he is teaching us wisdom. “Come to me,” he is saying, “and in me you will discover divine wisdom.” “What must I know?” we might ask. “Know me,” would be his response.

It is sobering to realize that Jesus’ wisdom was rejected by those in the know and yet accepted by the “don’t knows.” Today’s gospel passage calls us to another kind of wisdom than what mere information and learning give. The wisdom Jesus offers is not a series of teachings, things we must learn or achieve through our own pursuits. The wisdom he offers is not book knowledge, but a Person – himself. We get that wisdom by following and staying close to him; observing his actions; listening to his words; imitating him and seeing the world from his perspective. That’s what makes the “don’t knows” wise and those who claim they know, foolish. What a twist; but it is a gospel twist: the wise are foolish, and the “little ones” wise; or put in another way, the first shall be last and the last shall be first.

Further reading:

• Matthew Chapter 11 >>
• What Is a Yoke? >>

Weekly Memorization

Taken from the gospel for today’s session…

My yoke is easy and my burden light

Living the Good News

What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion?

Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions or the meditations which follow:

Reflection Questions

• Do I consider myself one of Jesus’ “little ones”?
  What would give me “rest”?
  How am I burdened by the unknown?
  Do I talk to God honestly about what is worrying me?
  Is there resistance in me to sharing this with Jesus?
  What causes this resistance (shame, guilt, pride, stubbornness)?
• Being really angry with someone is a deep burden. Can I bring my troubles and failings in this regard to Jesus?
• Do I think Jesus understands weaknesses, struggles or disappointments?
  Did he have any in his life?
  What can I learn about better behavior from watching Jesus?
• How can prayer give me perspective?
  How can prayer lead to acceptance?
• What do I really want?
  What are my deepest desires?
  Are they a comfort or a burden to me?
• Are there religious or civil rules that are personally burdensome and troubling to me?
• What is my personal comfort zone (what situations have to exist for me to avoid stress)?
  Am I out of my comfort zone often? Right now?
• How does lack of control over the events of one’s life become a burden?
  How great is my need for control?
• How often am I tempted to use force and intimidation to get my way?
• I think of a time in my life when I was “burdened”?
  Did I share my troubles with anyone?
  What happened?
• What burden am I carrying that I want to lay at the feet of Jesus?
• Do I know of someone who is particularly burdened right now?
• Whose burden can I relieve or take away?

Meditations

A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:

We can divide our human burdens into three categories.

The first is the burden of daily irritations—standing in line at the post office, wearing a mask outside, being on endless hold listening to bad elevator music, trying to figure out legal forms, watching bad behavior of an out-of-control child, being the embarrassed parent of said child. The list goes on. And the more stressed we are, the more these irritations are, well, IRRITATING!

The second burden includes some serious worries like money, illness, job loss, a bad relationship, hurts we can’t heal, anger that won’t go away. Some of these issues may be ours or they may be serious issues for someone we love. In any event, these things burden us and sometimes, make us a burden to others.

The third burden runs the deepest, often because we suppress it. It is the burden of personal identity. Who am I? We live in a world that tells us we are what we have; we are what we do; we are what we look like; we are what degrees we possess; we are what others say about us. We put an awful lot of energy into maintaining our beliefs about identity. It is exhausting. And scary. What happens when I lose what I have, lose what I do, or lose what I look like? What happens when I have shaped my identity to impress or please others? How does this erode my sense of my true self? Jesus’ temptation in the Desert was basically all about these identity issues. How did he respond? What difference did it make to Jesus what others said about him? How did his relationship with his father (His ABBA) sustain him in difficult and burdensome times?

Questions:
Which of these burdens is troubling me most right now?
Do I believe that God wishes to lighten my personal burden?
Do I believe I am beloved of God?
Do I believe that what I have or do does not matter to God?

Prayer:
I ask God for the reassurance of being blessed
I ask God for patience with myself and others
I ask God for hope: trust that God is looking out for me

A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination:

Parables help us to see life from another person’s point of view and, using our imagination, to examine our own lives: The Parable, the Return of the Prodigal Son from Luke, illustrates the burdens of insecurity that we all carry, and how God is there to reassure us that we are the beloved, just as we are. Father Henri Nouwen reflects on this parable in light of Jesus’ own experience, Nouwen’s own experience, and Rembrandt’s vision:

Soon after Jesus had heard the voice calling him the beloved, he was led to the desert to hear those other voices. They told him to prove that he was worth love in being successful, popular, powerful.

Almost from the moment that I had ears to hear, I heard those voices and they have stayed with me ever since. The have come to me through my parents, my friends, my teachers, and my colleagues, but most of all, they have come and still come through the mass media that surround me. And they say: Show me that you are a good boy. You had better be better than your friend! Be sure you can make it through school! I sure hope you can make it on your own! Are you sure you want to be friends with those people? These trophies certainly show what a good player you were! Don’t show your weakness, you’ll be sued! When you stop being productive, people lose interest in you”. Parents, friends, and teachers, even those who speak to me through the media, are mostly very sincere in their concerns. In fact, they can be limited human expressions of an unlimited divine love. But when I forget that voice of first unconditional love, then these innocent suggestions can easily start dominating my life and pull me into a “distant country”. (40-41)

The world says: “Yes, I love you if you are good-looking, intelligent, and wealthy. I love you if you have a good education, a good job, good connections. I love you if you produce much, seek much, buy much. There are endless “ifs” hidden in the world’s love....The world’s love is and always will be, conditional.

As long as I keep looking for my true self in the world of conditional love, I will remain “hooked” to the world (42)….I am the prodigal son every time I search for unconditional love where it cannot be found….I am constantly surprised at how I keep taking the gifts God has given me—my health, my intellectual and emotional gifts—and keep using them to impress people, receive affirmation and praise, and compete for rewards, instead of developing them for the glory of God. Yes, I often carry them off to a “foreign country” and put them at the service of an exploiting world that does not know their true value. (43)

Jesus has made it clear to me that the same voice he heard at the River Jordan and on Mount Tabor can also be heard by me. Faith is the radical trust that home has always been there and always will be. The somewhat stiff hands of the father rest on the prodigal’s shoulders with the everlasting blessing: “You are my beloved, on you my favor rests.” Yet over and over again I have left home. I have fled the hands of blessing and run off to faraway places searching for love! This is the great tragedy of my life and of the lives of so many I meet on my journey. Somehow I have become deaf to the voice that calls me the Beloved, have left the only place where I can hear that voice, and have gone off desperately hoping that I would find somewhere else what I could no longer find at home.

Rembrandt’s painting of the father welcoming the son displays scarcely any external movement….(this painting is one of utter stillness.) The father’s touching the son is an everlasting blessing; the son resting against his father’s breast is an eternal peace. Jakob Rosenberg summarizes this vision beautifully when he writes: “the group of father and son is outwardly almost motionless, but inwardly all the more moved….the story deals not with the human love of an earthly father….what is meant and represented here is the divine love and mercy in its power to transform death into life.”

“Coming home” meant for me, walking step-by-step toward the One who awaits me with open arms and wants to hold me in an eternal embrace.

A Meditation in the Franciscan Style/Action:

Read the following excerpt from Father Thomas Keating’s book Intimacy with God, pp 159-160:

Prayer cannot stand alone without action emerging from it. Contemplative prayer without action stagnates, and action without contemplative prayer leads to burn-out or running around in circles. Contemplative prayer sifts our contemplative vision and our ideas about what we should be doing…. We are coming from an inner freedom that more and more without our thinking about it, expresses the mind of Christ in our particular daily lives through the welling up and flowing over of the fruits of the Spirit and the Beatitudes.

After reflecting on the scriptures, what action can you take this week to lift the burden of someone you know—family member, friend, someone in the larger community who is weighed down by poverty, fear, sadness or doubt? If you do not know anyone personally, get in touch with Catholic Worker House in Redwood City, a group that cares for those who have no one to care about them. In the Franciscan manner, roll up your sleeves and be Jesus for someone in need of a helping hand to carry his cross.

Poetic Reflection:

This poem from Ed Ingebretzen, S.J. reminds us that God does not wish to burden us, but to comfort and mother us:

“From Narrow Places”

From narrow places
the strength of our voice
rises:

our every breath
is prayer,
the great poem of need,
a constant scattering
of praise.

Early
we reach to God
in the claim of our hearts,
while he,
our father,
mothers us
in his

A Meditation in the Augustinian Style/Relationship:

This Sunday’s psalm is 145. It is a message of hope in these troubled days. Read it to yourself several times, picking out the phrases which have the most meaning for you. Then write your own thank-you note to God for the times you have been sustained when you have felt burdened or troubled:

Psalm 145

1I will extol you, my God and king, and bless your name forever and ever.
2I will bless you day after day, and praise your name forever and ever.
3The LORD is great and highly to be praised; his greatness cannot be measured.
4Age to age shall proclaim your works, shall declare your mighty deeds.
5They will tell of your great glory and splendor, and recount your wonderful works.
6They will speak of your awesome deeds, recount your greatness and might.
7They will recall your abundant goodness, and sing of your just deeds with joy.
8The LORD is kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in mercy.
9How good is the LORD to all, compassionate to all his creatures.
10All your works shall thank you, O LORD, and all your faithful ones bless you.
11They shall speak of the glory of your reign, and declare your mighty deeds,
12To make known your might to the children of men, and the glorious splendor of your reign.
13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your rule endures for all generations.
The LORD is faithful in all his words, and holy in all his deeds.
14The LORD supports all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down.
15The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.
16You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17The LORD is just in all his ways, and holy in all his deeds.
18The LORD is close to all who call him, who call on him in truth.
19He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and he saves them.
20The LORD keeps watch over all who love him; the wicked he will utterly destroy.
21Let my mouth speak the praise of the LORD; let all flesh bless his holy name forever, for ages unending.

Closing Prayer

Teach me to go to this country beyond words and beyond names.
Teach me to pray on this side of the frontier, here where these woods are.
I need to be led by you.
I need my heart to be moved by you.
I need my soul to be made clean by your prayer.
I need my will to be made strong by you.
I need the world to be saved and changed by you.
I need you for all those who suffer, who are in prison, in danger, in sorrow.
I need you for all the crazy people.
I need your healing hand to work always in my life.
I need you to make me, as you made your Son, a healer, a comforter, a savior.
I need you to name the dead.
I need you to help the dying cross their particular rivers.
I need you for myself whether I live or die.
It is necessary.
Amen.

—“Litany” by Thomas Merton

Matthew Chapter 11

When Jesus finished giving these commands to his twelve disciples,*he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.

2* a When John heard in prison* of the works of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to him

3* with this question, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”

4Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you hear and see:

5* the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.b

6And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”

7As they were going off, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind?c

8Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces.

9Then why did you go out? To see a prophet?* Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

10This is the one about whom it is written: “Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare the way before you.”

11Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.*

12From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence,* and the violent are taking it by force.e

13All the prophets and the law* prophesied up to the time of John.

14And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come.f

15Whoever has ears ought to hear.

16g “To what shall I compare this generation?* It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another,

17‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’

18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’h

19The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”i

20j Then he began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented.

21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon,* they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.k

22But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

23* And as for you, Capernaum:

‘Will you be exalted to heaven?l

You will go down to the netherworld.’

For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

24But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”m

25n At that time Jesus said in reply,* “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.

26Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.

27All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.o

28* “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,* and I will give you rest.

29* p Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.

30For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”