July 23, 2015 Thursday, 16th Week in Ordinary
Time 1st Reading: Exodus 19: 1-2,9-11, 16-20
Gospel: Mt 13:10-17
Jesus’ disciples came to him with the question, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” Jesus answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but not to these people. For the one who has, will be given more and he will have in abundance. But the one who does not have will be deprived of even what he has. That is why I speak to them in parables, because they look and do not see; they hear, but they do not listen or understand. “In them the words of the prophet Isaiah are fulfilled: Much as you hear, you do not understand; much as you see, you do not perceive. “For the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears hardly hear and their eyes dare not see. If they were to see with their eyes, hear with their ears and understand with their heart, they would turn back and I would heal them. “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears, because they hear (…)
D@iGITAL EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
A music teacher asked his high school students the difference between listening and hearing. While the others froze in deep reflection, one surprisingly gave this quick reply: “Listening is wanting to hear”. The music teacher was impressed and moved to give him an A. But another student protested because his classmate merely used one to describe the other and didn’t really have to do much thinking. But the teacher insisted it was a very profound answer that deserved an excellent rating.
“Listening is wanting to hear” is a succinct encapsulation of our human tendency not to listen unless we really want to hear. Until one wants to hear he will never listen. Aware of this human tendency, Jesus packaged his teachings in stories called parables because stories naturally entice people to hear. Stories also suspend the hearers’ judgment until the message is fully delivered towards the end of the story. By the time they understand the message, the listening process is already consummated. Jesus called this “hearing without understanding” (Mt. 13: 10-17).
Today we listen to Jesus not because his teachings are packaged in enticing stories but because we are convinced that his words offer everlasting life. The problem is that we have created too many substitutes for God that we don’t find it desirable to hear the Word. Instead of being attracted to the Word, our hearts are glued to the World for love of the big L (Lukewarm). We are lukewarm to the real God but so hot about the false gods we have created. Precious pearls are thrown to the pigs as God’s message continues to fall upon deaf ears. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: [email protected]. Website:www.frdan.org.
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