Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Il-Ħmistax- il Ħadd matul is-Sena
Missalin A p 326
ISAIAH 55:10-11
Thus says
the LORD: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not
return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful,
giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word
be that goes forth from my mouth; my word shall not return to me void, but
shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.
L-Ewwel Lezzjoni
Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija 55, 10-11
Dan igħid
il-Mulej: “Bħalma x-xita u s-silġ jinżlu mis-smewwiet, u ma jerġgħux lura mnejn
ġew bla ma jsaqqu l-art, imma jġegħluha tnissel u tnibbet, u tagħti ż-żerriegħa
lil min jiżra, u l-ħobż lil min jiekol, hekk jiġri minn kelmti: hija toħroġ
minn fommi, u ma terġax lura vojta, imma tagħmel dak li jogħġob lili, u ttemm
dak li nkun bgħattha tagħmel”. Il-Kelma
tal-Mulej
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
PSALM 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14
R/ The seed that falls on good
ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
You have
visited the land and watered it;
greatly
have you enriched it.
God’s
watercourses are filled;
you have
prepared the grain. R/
Thus have
you prepared the land: drenching its furrows,
breaking up
its clods,
Softening
it with showers,
blessing
its yield. R/
You have
crowned the year with your bounty,
and your
paths overflow with a rich harvest;
The
untilled meadows overflow with it,
and
rejoicing clothes the hills. R/
The fields
are garmented with flocks
and the
valleys blanketed with grain.
They shout
and sing for joy. R/
Salm Responsorjali
(Salm 64(65)
R/ Iż-żerriegħa waqgħet f’art tajba,
u għamlet il-frott.
Inti żżur
l-art u ssaqqiha,
u tagħniha
bil-ġid tiegħek.
Il-wied
ta' Alla mimli bl-ilma,
il-qamħ
tagħhom ħejjejtilhom. R/
Hekk int
tħejjiha;
issaqqi
r-raddiet u twitti t-tub tagħha,
bl-irxiex
trabbatha u tberkilha ż-żerrieragħ.
Fawwart
is-sema bi tjubitek,
triqatek
bil-ġid joqtru. R/
Joqtru
bin-nida l-mergħat tad-deżert,
u bil-ferħ
jitħażżmul-għoljiet.
Il-mergħat
jimtlew bl-imrieħel,
il-widien jinksew
bil-qamħ;
jgħajtu
lkoll u jgħannu bil-ferħ. R/
ROMANS 8:18-23
Brothers
and sisters: I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared
with the glory to be revealed for us. For creation awaits with eager expectation
the revelation of the children of God; for creation was made subject to
futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in
hope that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and
share in the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that all creation is groaning in
labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the
first fruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for
adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
It-Tieni Lezzjoni
Qari mill-Ittra lir-Rumani 8, 18-23
Ħuti, jiena
għadni persważ li t-tbatijiet ta’ issa ma għandhom xejn x’jaqsmu mal-glorja li
għadd trid trid tidher fina. Il-ħlejjaq kollha qegħdin jistennew ħerqana
r-rivelazzjoni ta’ wlied Alla, għax il-ħolqien jinsab taħt il-frugħa – mhux minn
GOSPEL
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
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 hearts and be converted, and I heal them. “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. “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.”
L-Evanġelju
Qari skond San Mattew 13, 1-23
Dakinhar
Ġesu’ ħareġ mid-dar, mar f’xatt il-baħar u qagħad bilqiegħda hemm. U nġabru
madwaru folol hekk kbar ta’ nies li kellu jitla’ fuq dgħajsa u jinżel bilqiegħda
fiha; in-nies qagħdu lkoll wieqfa fuq ix-xatt, u hu beda jkellimhom fuq bosta
ħwejjeġ tal-parabboli. U qalilhom: Darba wieħed bidwi ħareġ jiżra’. Huwa u Jiżra’
xi żerrigħat waqgħu mal-mogħdija, ġew l-għasafar u naqqruhom kollha. Oħrajn
waqgħu f’art kollha blat, fejn ma kienx hemm wisq ħamrija, u malajr nibtu, għax
il-ħamrija ma kinitx fonda; iżda mbagħat telgħet ix-xemx, u nħarqu unixfu, għax
ma kellhomx għeruq. Oħrajn waqgħu qalb ix-xewk, u x-xewk kbir magħhom u ħonoqhom.
Imma oħrajn waqgħu f’art tajba, u għamlu l-frott,
min mija, min sittin, u min tletin. Min għandu widnejn, ħa jisma! Resqu lejh id-dixxipli u staqsew: “Għaliex
tkellimhom bil-parabboli?” Hu weġibhom: “Għax lilkom ingħata li tagħrfu
l-misteri tas-Saltna tas-Smewwiet, iżda lilhom dan ma kienx mogħti. Għax kull
min għandu, jingħatalu, u jkollu żżejjed ukoll; iżda min ma għandux, jitteħidlu saħansitra
dak li għandu. Jien għalhekk inkellimhom bil-parabboli; għax iħarsu kemm iħarsu
ma jaraw; u jisimgħu kemm jisimgħu ma jifhmux. U hekk isseħħ fihom il-profezija
ta’ Isaija li tgħid: Tisimgħu kemm tisimgħu ma tifhmux, u tħarsu kemm tħarsu ma
tarawx. Għax
il-qalb ta’ dan il-poplu twebbset; kienu tqal biex jisimgħu b’widnejhom, u
għalqu għajnejhom, li ma jomorrux jaraw b’għajnejhom, u jisimgħu b’widnejhom u
jifhmu b’moħħhom, u hekk ibiddlu ħajjithom
u jiena nfejjaqhom. Intom, iżda, henjin għajnejkom, għax qegħdin jaraw; ħenjin
widnejkom, għax qegħdin jisimgħu. Tassew, ngħidilkom, li bosta profeti u nies
ġusti xtaqu jaraw dak li qegħdin taraw intom u ma rawħx, u jisimgħu dak li
qegħdin tisimgħu intom, u ma semgħuxh! Mela isimgħuha intom il-parabbola ta’
dak li ħareġ Jiżra’. Kull min jisima l-kelma tas-Saltna u ma jifhimhiex, jersaq
il-Ħażin ujisraqlu dak li jkun inżera’ f’qalbu; dan huwa dak li nżera
mal-mogħdija. Dak li nżera f’art kollha blat huwa dak li jisma l-kelma u jilqagħha minnufih bil-ferħ; imma
għeruq ma jkollux fih innifsu,u għalhekk ftit idum; imbagħad jiġi fuqu l-għawġ,
jew isib min iħabbtu minħabba l-kelma, u malajr jitfixkel. Dak li nżera’ qalb
ix-xewk huwa dak li jisma l-kelma iżda l-inkwiet għall-ħwejjeġ tad-dinja u
l-ġibda għall ġid ta’ l-art joħonqulu l-kelma, li għalhekk ma tagħmilx frott. Dak
imbagħad li waqa f’art tajba huwa dak li jisma l-kelma u jifimha; u tassew hu
jagħmel il-frott, dan jagħmel mija, dak sittin, u l-ieħor tletin. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej
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God's Word is Never Spoken in Vain
In verse 10 of Sunday’s first reading from chapter 55 of the prophet
Isaiah, we read: “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not
return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that
it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater…” Rain may seem lost when
it falls on a desert, but even still it fulfils some purpose of God. So too
when the Gospel word falls on a hard heart, it sometimes brings about change in
one’s life; if nothing else, it leaves people with no excuse.
Not only does Isaiah compare God’s Word to rain, he also compares it
with snow – something else that is often underappreciated for what it really
does. Snow’s main purpose is far greater than simply providing coating for ski
hills, raw material for making snowmen, and necessary covering for snowmobile
trails. Its main purpose, like that of rain, is to provide water and moisture
for the earth so that plants and trees are able to live and grow.
Every time snow and rain come down, they always provide a very necessary
ingredient: moisture for the germination and growth of seeds planted in the
earth. They never cease to accomplish their purpose. In verse 11, we see that
God’s Word, like the rain and snow that come down from heaven, always
accomplishes its intended purpose: “So is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve
the purpose for which I sent it.” What faith, patience, and perseverance are
required to accept this truth!
Patient endurance in steadfast expectation
In Sunday’s second reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans (8:18-23),
Paul considers the destiny of the created world to be linked with the future
that belongs to the believers. As it shares in the penalty of corruption
brought about by sin, so also will it share in the benefits of redemption and
future glory that comprise the ultimate liberation of God’s people (8:19-22).
After patient endurance in steadfast expectation, the full harvest of the
Spirit’s presence will be realized. On earth, believers enjoy the first fruits
(i.e., the Spirit) as a guarantee of the total liberation of their bodies from
the influence of the rebellious old self (8:23).
Understanding the meaning of “parable”
The word “parable” is used in the Greek Septuagint to translate the
Hebrew mashal, a designation covering a wide
variety of literary forms such as axioms, proverbs, similitudes, and
allegories. In the New Testament “parable” primarily designates stories that
are illustrative comparisons between Christian truths and events of everyday
life. Sometimes the event has a strange element that is quite different from
usual experience (e.g., in Matthew 13:3 the enormous amount of dough in the
parable of the yeast); this is meant to sharpen the curiosity of the hearer. As
figurative speech, a parable demands reflection for understanding. To
understand is a gift of God, granted to the disciples but not to the crowds. In
Semitic fashion, both the disciples’ understanding and the crowd’s obtuseness
are attributed to God. The question of human responsibility for the obtuseness
is not dealt with, although it is asserted in Matthew 13:13.
Structure of Matthew’s Parable of the Sower
Let us take a closer look at the structure of Matthew’s sermon in
parables (13:1-52), which is the structural centre of his Gospel. The parables
offered by Matthew serve as a varied commentary on the rejection of Jesus by
the Pharisees in the two preceding chapters. The whole discourse in parables is
the third great discourse of Jesus in Matthew’s account and constitutes the
second part of the third major section of the Gospel. Matthew follows the
Marcan outline (4:1-35) but includes only two of Mark’s parables. The other
five are most likely drawn from the unknown “Q” source that Luke and Matthew
share and from Matthew’s special collection of stories. In addition to the
seven parables, the discourse gives the reason why Jesus uses this type of
speech (13:10-15), declares the blessedness of those who understand his
teaching (13:16-17), explains the parable of the sower (13:18-23), and of the
weeds (13:36-43), and ends with a concluding statement to the disciples
(13:51-52), comprising what could be considered an eighth parable.
Sowing with abandon
To Jesus’ Galilean listeners who were close to the earth, the image of
sowing seeds (Matthew 13:1-23) was a very familiar one. Sunday’s parable is
startling on several accounts. First of all it portrays a sower who is
apparently careless. He scatters the seed with reckless abandon even in those
areas where there is virtually no chance for growth. The first seed that falls
on the path has no opportunity to grow. The second seed falls on rocky ground,
grows quickly, and dies as quickly. The third seed falls among thorns and has
its life submerged by a stronger force. Finally the fourth seed falls on good
soil and produces fruit – to astonishing, unknown, and unthinkable proportions.
The normal harvest in a good year might be sevenfold, but never thirty or
sixty, much less one hundred! The life-bearing potential of the seed is beyond
imagination! The final yield is earth shattering! In the end, the parable
portrays the sower as lavish and extravagant rather than foolish and wasteful.
In the explanation of the parable (13:18-23) the emphasis is on the
various types of soil on which the seed falls, i.e. on the dispositions with which
the preaching of Jesus is received (cf. parallels in Mark 4:14-20; Luke
8:11-15). The second and third types particularly are explained in such a way
as to support the view, held by many scholars, that the explanation is derived
not from Jesus but from early Christian reflection upon apostasy from the faith
that developed as a consequence of persecution and worldliness respectively.
Others, however, hold that the explanation may indeed come from Jesus even
though it matured in the light of later Christian experience. The four types of
persons envisaged are: (1) those who never accept the word of the kingdom
(Matthew 13:19); (2) those who believe for a while but fall away because of
persecution (13:20-21); (3) those who believe, but in whom the word is choked
by worldly anxiety and the seduction of riches (13:22); and (4) those who
respond to the word and produce fruit abundantly (13:23).
In no other instance does Jesus take such great pain to explain a
parable than in this one. Too often this parable has been used to emphasize
what happens to the seed – carried away by the devil, dying from a lack of
roots, choked by the cares and wealth and pleasures of this life. How often
have we considered the lavishness and generosity of God – throwing the seed in every
direction? Jesus’ explanation clearly shifts the accent from the seed (the
word), which was the focus of the parable, to the person who hears it (the
soil). In so doing, he brings to the fore God’s extravagant generosity with the
word.
God’s Word shall be accomplished
However God wishes to dispense the Gospel, it shall be accomplished. His
words are never spoken in vain, and never fail to produce the effect that he
intends. Though it may seem that the Gospel often falls on barren rocks, or on
arid sands; on extended plains where no vegetation is produced, or in the
wilderness “where no human is,” where it seems vain in our view, we know that
this is not so. The words of the Gospel often fall on hard and barren human
hearts.
The message of Jesus is addressed to the proud, the senseless, the
avaricious, and the unbelieving; it may seems to be spoken in vain, and to
return void unto God. But it is not so. It is part of his provident design,
which cannot but be accomplished. This is proof of the fullness of his mercy,
in which God leaves people without excuse, and justifies himself. Or when
presented apparently in vain, ultimately becomes successful, and brings sinners
at last to abandon their sins, and to turn to God.
The Gospel is indeed often rejected and despised. It falls on the ears
of people as the rain falls on hard rock, and there are, so to speak, large
fields where the Gospel is preached that are as barren and unfruitful of any
spiritual good as the extended desert is of vegetation. At times the Gospel
seems to be preached to entire communities with as little effect as when the
rains fall on vast, arid desert. In spite of some failure because of opposition
and indifference, the message of Jesus about the coming of the kingdom will
yield enormous success. Though the Gospel may not immediately produce all the
good fruits and effects that we may desire, it will ultimately be successful in
accordance with the full wish of the widest benevolence, until the whole world
is filled with the knowledge and the love of God.
Allowing the Word to take root in our lives
This week, may the Word take root in our lives. If we allow it to
penetrate beneath the surface, we will begin to find ourselves, and find the
areas of ourselves which seemed lost or broken, abandoned or forgotten,
“unplugged” or “turned off” to the transforming power of God. Together let us
pray these words of St. Albert
Let me leave behind my old life, so that the seeds of your Word won’t be
eaten up by the birds of frivolous thought, or choked out by the thorns of
worry.
Give me a soft heart full of humility and joy, so that I will be
good soil and bring forth fruit in patience.
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