The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, July 27, 2006
Thursday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Jeremiah 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13
Psalm 36:6-7ab, 8-9, 10-11
Matthew 13:10-17

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

The disciples asked Jesus an interesting question, reflected in the gospel of today. They wondered why He spoke to the people in parables. In the answer Christ gave them, He is also addressing us. He compared the disciples with the other people saying that the people were not really hearing and understanding His message, as were the disciples. It raises an interesting question for us today.

Christ said the people were not hearing and seeing what He said, and did so because they did not want to change, to be converted, to be really touched by Him. We can ask this of ourselves. Are we satisfied with the "status quo" of our spiritual life, Mass on Sundays, a little spiritual reading once in awhile, not really committing any huge faults . . . and so it goes year after year? This is all good, but is it enough? Would a human relationship continue if we were only contributing the bare minimum of effort? Is Christ more than a "Christmas card friend," someone you reach out to just so they remember you? What holds us back from really leaning into the relationship that Christ longs for with us? What are we afraid of?

- Joan of Jesus, OCDS
(jmurphy at utica dot edu)