Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 07-24-13, OM, St. Sharbel Makhluf, Priest

July 24, 2013

Wednesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

The children of Israel set out from Elim,
and came into the desert of Sin,
which is between Elim and Sinai,
on the fifteenth day of the second month
after their departure from the land of Egypt.
Here in the desert the whole assembly of the children of Israel
grumbled against Moses and Aaron.
The children of Israel said to them,
“Would that we had died at the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt,
as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread!
But you had to lead us into this desert
to make the whole community die of famine!”

Then the LORD said to Moses,
“I will now rain down bread from heaven for you.
Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion;
thus will I test them,
to see whether they follow my instructions or not.
On the sixth day, however, when they prepare what they bring in,
let it be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole congregation
of the children of Israel:
Present yourselves before the LORD,
for he has heard your grumbling.”
When Aaron announced this to the whole assembly of the children of Israel,
they turned toward the desert, and lo,
the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud!
The LORD spoke to Moses and said,
“I have heard the grumbling of the children of Israel.
Tell them: In the evening twilight you shall eat flesh,
and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread,
so that you may know that I, the LORD, am your God.”

In the evening quail came up and covered the camp.
In the morning a dew lay all about the camp,
and when the dew evaporated, there on the surface of the desert
were fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground.
On seeing it, the children of Israel asked one another, “What is this?”
for they did not know what it was.
But Moses told them,
“This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.”

Responsorial Psalm PS 78:18-19, 23-24, 25-26, 27-28

R. (24b) The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
They tempted God in their hearts
by demanding the food they craved.
Yes, they spoke against God, saying,
“Can God spread a table in the desert?”
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Yet he commanded the skies above
and the doors of heaven he opened;
He rained manna upon them for food
and gave them heavenly bread.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Man ate the bread of angels,
food he sent them in abundance.
He stirred up the east wind in the heavens,
and by his power brought on the south wind.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
And he rained meat upon them like dust,
and, like the sand of the sea, winged fowl,
Which fell in the midst of their camp
round about their tents.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

Gospel Mt 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 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.”

Interactive Saints for Kids

St. Boris and St. Gleb

Feast Day: July 24
Born: (around) 980 :: Died: 1015

These two brothers were born in Russia and were sons of St. Vladimir of Kiev, the first Christian prince in Russia. Their father had had many wives before he became a Christian. Afterwards, he had lived as Jesus teaches us in the Gospel. Boris and Gleb were his sons by his Christian wife Anne of Constantinople and were brought up as good Christians.

When King Vladimir died, each son was to receive a portion of the kingdom. But the oldest son Svyatopolk, wished to rule alone. He first planned to kill his stepbrothers Boris and Gleb.

Boris was warned as he was coming back with his soldiers from a battle and his men at once prepared to defend him. But he would not allow it. "It is better for me to die alone," he said, "than to be the cause of death to many." Besides he explained that he could not raise a hand against his brother. So he sent them away and sat down to wait.

During the night, he thought about the martyrs who had been killed by their own close relatives. He knew how empty life can become if we make the things of earth too important. What really counts, he thought, is good deeds, true love and true religion. When in the morning, his brother's hired murderers arrived and began striking him with spears, Boris did nothing but call down peace on them.

St. Gleb was killed soon after. The wicked older brother invited him to come to his palace in Kiev for a friendly visit. As he was sailing down the river, Gleb's boat was boarded by fierce, armed men. He too would not defend himself by fighting, not even when he saw that they were determined to kill him. Instead, St. Gleb quietly prepared himself to die. "I am being killed," he said, "and for what I do not know. But you know, Lord. And I know you said that for your name's sake brother would bring death to brother."

A few years after they died, the people of Russia began going on pilgrimages to the tomb of the two brothers. Miracles took place. St. Boris and St. Gleb are called martyrs because they accepted death as Christ did, without defending themselves. They died in 1015.

Daily Readings for: July 24, 2013
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: O God, who called the Priest Saint Sharbel Makhluf to the solitary combat of the desert and imbued him with all manner of devotion, grant us, we pray, that, being made imitators of the Lord's Passion, we may merit to be co-heirs of his Kingdom. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RECIPES

o Lebanese Potato and Beef Stew With a Side of Rice

ACTIVITIES

o Home Equipment for Junior Grade Artists

PRAYERS

o Novena to St. Anne

o Saint Charbel Novena

Joseph Makhlouf was born in 1828 at Beqa-Kafra, Lebanon. His peasant family lived a strong faith, were attentive to the Divine Liturgy, and had a great devotion to the Mother of God.

At the age of 23, Charbel (the name he chose when entering Novitiate) left his closely knit family to enter the Lebanese-Maronite Monastery called Notre-Dame de Mayfouk. Following studies and profession at St. Cyprian de Kfifane Monastery, he was ordained in 1859.

For the next seven years, Charbel lived in the mountainous community of Anaya. After that he spent the next twenty-three years in complete solitude at Sts. Peter and Paul Hermitage near Anaya. He died there on Christmas Eve, 1898.

Charbel had a reputation for his austerity, penances, obedience, and chastity. At times, Charbel was gifted with levitations during prayer, and he had great devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament.

In all things, Charbel maintained perfect serenity. He was beatified in 1965 by Pope Paul VI and canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1977.

On May 8, 1828 in a mountain village of Beka'kafra, the highest village in the near-east, Charbel was born to a poor Maronite family. From childhood his life revealed a calling to "bear fruit as a noble Cedar of Lebanon". Charbel "grew in age and wisdom before God and men." At 23 years old he entered the monastery of Our Lady of Mayfouk (north of Byblos) where he became a novice. After two years of novitiate, in 1853, he was sent to St. Maron monastery where he pronounced the monastic vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Charbel was then transferred to the monastery of Kfeifan where he studied philosophy and theology. His ordination to the priesthood took place in 1859, after which he was sent back to St. Maron monastery. His teachers provided him with good education and nurtured within him a deep love for monastic life.

During his 19 years at St. Maron monastery, Charbel performed his priestly ministry and his monastic duties in an edifying way. He totally dedicated himself to Christ with undivided heart to live in silence before Nameless One. In 1875 Charbel was granted permission to live as a hermit nearby the monastery at St. Peter and Paul hermitage. His 23 years of solitary life were lived in a spirit of total abandonment to God.

Charbel's companions in the hermitage were the Sons of God, as encountered in the Scriptures and in the Eucharist, and the Blessed Mother. The Eucharist became the center of his life. He consumed the Bread of his Life and was consumed by it. Though this hermit did not have a place in the world, the world had a great place in his heart. Through prayer and penance he offered himself as a sacrifice so that the world would return to God. It is in this light that one sees the importance of the following Eucharistic prayer in his life:

"Father of Truth, behold Your Son a sacrifice pleasing to You, accept this offering of Him who died for me..."

On December 16, 1898 while reciting the "Father of Truth" prayer at the Holy Liturgy Charbel suffered a stroke. He died on Christmas Eve at the age of 70. Through faith this hermit received the Word of God and through love he continued the Ministry of Incarnation.

On the evening of his funeral, his superior wrote: "Because of what he will do after his death, I need not talk about his behavior". A few months after his death a bright light was seen surrounding his tomb. The superiors opened it to find his body still intact. Since that day a blood-like liquid flows from his body. Experts and doctors are unable to give medical explanations for the incorruptibility and flexibility. In the years 1950 and 1952 his tomb was opened and his body still had the appearance of a living one.

The spirit of Charbel still lives in many people. His miracles include numerous healings of the body and of the spirit. Thomas Merton, the American Hermit, wrote in his journal: "Charbel lived as a hermit in Lebanon—he was a Maronite. He died. Everyone forgot about him. Fifty years later, his body was discovered incorrupt and in short time he worked over 600 miracles. He is my new companion. My road has taken a new turning. It seems to me that I have been asleep for 9 years—and before that I was dead."

At the closing of the Second Vatican Council, on December 5, 1965 Charbel was beatified by Pope Paul VI who said:

"...a hermit of the Lebanese mountain is inscribed in the number of the blessed...a new eminent member of monastic sanctity is enriching, by his example and his intercession, the entire Christian people... May he make us understand, in a world largely fascinated by wealth and comfort, the paramount value of poverty, penance, and asceticism, to liberate the soul in its ascent to God..."

On October 9, 1977 during the World Synod of Bishops, Pope Paul VI canonized Blessed Charbel among the ranks of the Saints.

Taken from Opus Libani

Things to Do:

Make a virtual visit to Our Lady of Lebanon Shrine.
Visit this site dedicated to St. Charbel and read another biography.
Listen to an Arabic prayer for God's Mercy from the Great Paraklesis (Supplicatory Prayer) to the Most Holy Theotokos. Notice the frescoes in the video of the praying saints which are from an obscure ancient Byzantine church in Maad, Lebanon, named after St. Charbel the old.
Learn more about the Maronites.

St. Christina of Bolsena

v:shapes="Picture_x0020_4">Saint Christina was the daughter of a rich and powerful magistrate named Urban. Her father, who was deep in the practices of paganism, had a number of golden idols. His young daughter broke them, then distributed the pieces among the poor. Infuriated by this act, Urban became the persecutor of his own daughter. He had her whipped with rods and thrown into a dungeon. Christina remained unshaken in her faith. Her tormentor brought her forth to have her body torn by iron hooks, then fastened to a rack beneath which a fire was kindled. But God watched over His servant and turned the flames back toward the onlookers, several of whom perished.

The torments to which this young girl was subjected would seem as difficult to devise as to imagine; but God was beside her at all times. After a heavy stone was attached to her neck, Saint Christina was thrown into the lake of Bolsena, but was rescued by an Angel and seen wearing a stole and walking on the water, accompanied by several Angels. Her father, hearing she was still alive, died suddenly amid atrocious sufferings. A new judge succeeded him, a cruel pagan experienced in persecuting the Christians. He tried to win her by reminding her of her nobility, suggesting she was in serious error. Her reply infuriated him: “Christ, whom you despise, will tear me out of your hands!” Then Saint Christina suffered the most inhuman torments. The second judge also was struck down by divine justice. A third one named Julian, succeeded him. “Magician!” he cried, “adore the gods, or I will put you to death!” She survived a raging furnace, after remaining in it for five days. Serpents and vipers thrown into her prison did not touch her, but killed the magician who had brought them there. She sent them away in the name of Christ, after restoring the unfortunate magician to life; he was converted and thanked the God of Christina and the Saint. Then her tongue was cut out.

The Saint prayed to be allowed to finish her course. When she was pierced with arrows, she gained the martyr’s crown at Tyro, a city which formerly stood on an island in the lake of Bolsena in Italy, but has since been swallowed up by the waters. Her relics are now at Palermo in Sicily. Her tomb was discovered in the 19th century at Bolsena, marked with an inscription dating from the 10th century.

Excerpted from Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul Guérin (Bloud et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 9.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Exodus 16:1-5, 9-15

Saint Sharbel Makhluf, Priest

“This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.” (Exodus 16:15)

Imagine that you grew up very poor, and always had to scrabble for your next meal. But now you’ve been flown to a wealthy country, and have been taken to a lavish all-you-can-eat buffet for dinner. When you arrive, the host welcomes you in with open arms and a warm smile.

He walks you to the buffet and invites you to eat and drink freely. You’re overwhelmed by the spread—it’s so foreign to you! As you move down the line, you see so many dishes filled with all kinds of new foods. You don’t dare take too much, because you’ve spent your whole life rationing every bite. But your host encourages you not to worry. There will be plenty for tomorrow and the next day as well.

As you help yourself to the first serving, you break into a smile and start laughing heartily. The anxieties that have burdened your heart for so long begin to diminish. As you take up another serving from another plate, you begin to feel peace and contentment. You can’t seem to get enough.

Just as he fed the Israelites in the desert, Jesus wants to feed us as well—only now with spiritual food. He wants to feed our souls with heavenly wisdom and guidance. He wants to our hearts with servings of joy, love and peace. He wants to nourish us so that we can find the strength to move mountains and accomplish all the wonderful things he has called us to do.

Where will we find this food? In the Eucharist, of course! Just as the manna seemed to drop from the sky, so the presence of Christ comes down from heaven every time the Mass is celebrated. And just as the manna seemed inconsequential—just a thin layer on the ground—but gave the Israelites all the strength they needed, so too with the Host that we receive at Mass. How wonderful of God to feed us so generously—so miraculously!

Listen! God is calling out to you right now: “Come without payment or cost (Isaiah 55:1). Come and receive all the good things I have ready for you. There’s always plenty of food to keep you satisfied!”

“Lord, I feast on the table you set before me. Thank you for your love and generosity!”

Psalm 78:18-19, 23-28; Matthew 13:1-9

Regnum Christi

A Hundred or Sixty or Thirty-Fold

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Wednesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

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 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 thirty fold. Whoever has ears ought to hear."

Introductory Prayer: Lord, my prayer will “work” only if I have humility in your presence. So I am approaching you with meekness and humility of heart. I have an infinite need for you and your grace. Thinking about this helps me grow in humility. I trust in you and your grace. Thank you for the unfathomable gift of your love.

Petition: Lord, may I always respond to your grace in my heart with fervor and active love.

1. Tears of a Sower: Imagine Jesus preaching to the crowds, hoping for a positive response, but instead witnessing many people turning a deaf ear to his message of salvation. One day he is thinking about this as he watches a farmer sowing seed. He sees birds come immediately and take some away. He sees previously sown seed scorched by the sun. He sees some sprouts strangled by weeds. He then remembers the faces and perhaps even the names of people who heard his message, but who chose not to respond or whose response was short-lived. We are reminded of another Gospel passage: “As he drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, saying ‘If this day you only knew what makes for peace -- but now it is hidden from your eyes’” (Luke 19:41).

2. Rebellion or Rest: The admonition to heed the word of God is frequent in Scripture. In the Book of Hebrews the author warns us to “harden not your hearts as at the rebellion in the day of testing in the desert.” The people of Israel responded in this unfortunate way after the exodus from Egypt. “They have always been of erring heart, and they do not know my ways. As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter into my rest’” (Cf. Hebrews 3: 7-11). This helps us foster a healthy fear of the Lord, encouraging us to work hard to conquer all hardness of heart and remain close to Christ so as to enter into his rest.

3. Fruits of Virtue: “But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirty-fold.” The fruit that Our Lord wishes us to produce are virtues inspired by faith, hope and love. If we are growing in virtue each day in imitation of Christ and for love of him, we can be sure we are heeding his voice and are pleasing in his eyes. The greatest of all virtues is charity, a practical and effective love for our neighbor. We can contemplate the lives of the saints to see how these fruits are played out in a way truly pleasing to Christ.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, you know how easy it is for me to allow mediocrity to slip into my life. The cares and worries of life often push you and your kingdom to a secondary plane. Grant me the habit of carving out time for you in prayer each day, and carving out space for you in my life and the lives of those under my care.

Resolution: I will renew my effort with whatever prayer commitment I have allowed to waver or falter the most.

Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 13
1.	THE same day Jesus going out of the house, sat by the sea side.	In illo die exiens Jesus de domo, sedebat secus mare.	εν δε τη ημερα εκεινη εξελθων ο ιησους απο της οικιας εκαθητο παρα την θαλασσαν
2.	And great multitudes were gathered unto him, so that he went up into a boat and sat: and all the multitude stood on the shore.	Et congregatæ sunt ad eum turbæ multæ, ita ut naviculam ascendens sederet : et omnis turba stabat in littore,	και συνηχθησαν προς αυτον οχλοι πολλοι ωστε αυτον εις το πλοιον εμβαντα καθησθαι και πας ο οχλος επι τον αιγιαλον ειστηκει
3.	And he spoke to them many things in parables, saying: Behold the sower went forth to sow.	et locutus est eis multa in parabolis, dicens : Ecce exiit qui seminat, seminare.	και ελαλησεν αυτοις πολλα εν παραβολαις λεγων ιδου εξηλθεν ο σπειρων του σπειρειν
4.	And whilst he soweth some fell by the way side, and the birds of the air came and ate them up.	Et dum seminat, quædam ceciderunt secus viam, et venerunt volucres cæli, et comederunt ea.	και εν τω σπειρειν αυτον α μεν επεσεν παρα την οδον και ηλθεν τα πετεινα και κατεφαγεν αυτα
5.	And other some fell upon stony ground, where they had not much earth: and they sprung up immediately, because they had no deepness of earth.	Alia autem ceciderunt in petrosa, ubi non habebant terram multam : et continuo exorta sunt, quia non habebant altitudinem terræ :	αλλα δε επεσεν επι τα πετρωδη οπου ουκ ειχεν γην πολλην και ευθεως εξανετειλεν δια το μη εχειν βαθος γης
6.	And when the sun was up they were scorched: and because they had not root, they withered away.	sole autem orto æstuaverunt ; et quia non habebant radicem, aruerunt.	ηλιου δε ανατειλαντος εκαυματισθη και δια το μη εχειν ριζαν εξηρανθη
7.	And others fell among thorns: and the thorns grew up and choked them.	Alia autem ceciderunt in spinas : et creverunt spinæ, et suffocaverunt ea.	αλλα δε επεσεν επι τας ακανθας και ανεβησαν αι ακανθαι και απεπνιξαν αυτα
8.	And others fell upon good ground: and they brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.	Alia autem ceciderunt in terram bonam : et dabant fructum, aliud centesimum, aliud sexagesimum, aliud trigesimum.	αλλα δε επεσεν επι την γην την καλην και εδιδου καρπον ο μεν εκατον ο δε εξηκοντα ο δε τριακοντα
9.	He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.	Qui habet aures audiendi, audiat.	ο εχων ωτα ακουειν ακουετω

1. The same day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the seaside.
2. And great multitudes were gathered together to him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3. And he spoke many things to them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow,
4. And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5. Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6. And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8. But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundred-fold, some sixty-fold, some thirty-fold.
9. Who has ears to hear, let him hear.

CHRYS; When He had rebuked him that told Him of His mother and His brethren, He then did according to their request; He departed out of the house, having first corrected his brethren for their weak desire of vainglory; He then paid the honor due to His mother, as it is said, The same day Jesus went forth out of the house, and sat down by the seaside.

AUG; By the words, The same day, he sufficiently shows that these things either followed immediately upon what had gone before, or that many things could not hare intervened; unless indeed 'day' here after the Scripture manner signifies a period.

RABAN; For not only the Lord's words and actions, but His journeying also, and the places in which He works His mighty works and preaches, are full of heavenly sacraments. After the discourse held in the house, wherein with wicked blasphemy He had been said to have a demon, He went out and taught by the sea, to signify that having left Judea because of their sinful unbelief, He would pass to the salvation of the Gentiles. For the hearts of the Gentiles, long proud and unbelieving, are rightly likened to the swelling and bitter waves of the sea And who knows not that Judea was by faith the house of the Lord.

JEROME; For it must be considered, that the multitude could not enter into the house to Jesus, nor be there where the Apostles heard mysteries; therefore the Lord in mercy to them departed out of the house, and sat near the sea of this world, that great numbers might be gathered to Him, and that they might hear on the seashore what they were not worthy to hear within; And great multitudes were gathered to him, so that he went into a ship, and sat down, and all the people stood on the shore.

CHRYS; The Evangelist did not relate this without a purpose, but that he might show the Lord's will therein, who desired so to place the people that He should have none behind Him, but all should be before His face.

HILARY; There is moreover a reason in the subject of His discourse why the Lord should sit in the ship, and the multitude stand on the shore. For He was about to speak in parables, and by this action signifies that they who were without the Church could have no understanding of the Divine Word. The ship offers a type of the Church, within which the word of life is placed, and is preached to those without, and who as being barren sand cannot understand it.

JEROME; Jesus is in the midst of the waves; He is beaten back and forth by the waves, and, secure in His majesty, causes His vessel to come nigh the land, that the people not being in danger, not being surrounded by temptations which they could not endure might stand on the shore with a firm step, to hear what was said.

RABAN; Or, that He went into a ship and sat on the sea, signifies that Christ by faith should enter into the hearts of the Gentiles, and should gather together the Church in the sea, that is in the midst of the nations that spoke against Him. And the crowd that stood on the sea shore, neither in the ship nor in the sea, offers a figure of those that receive the word of God, and are by faith separated from the sea, that is from the reprobate, but are not yet imbued with heavenly mysteries. It follows; And he spoke many things to them in parables.

CHRYS; He had not done thus on the mount; He had not framed His discourse by parables. For there were the multitudes only, and a mixed crowd but here the Scribes and Pharisees. But He speaks in parables not for this reason only, but to make His sayings plainer, and fix them more fully in the memory, by sayings things before the eyes.

JEROME; And it is to be noted, that He spoke not all things to them in parables, but many things for had He spoken all things in parables, the people would have departed without benefit. He mingles things plain with things dark, that by those things which they understand they may be incited to get knowledge of the things they understand not. The multitude also is not of one opinion, but of divers wills in divers matters, whence He speaks to them in many parables, that each according to their several dispositions parables receive some portion of His teaching.

CHRYS; He first sets forth a parable to make His hearers more attentive; and because He was about to speak enigmatically, He attracts the attention by this first parable, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow his seed.

JEROME; By this sower is typified the Son of God, who sows among the people the word of the Father.

CHRYS; Whence then went out He who is everywhere present, and how went He out? Not in place; but by His incarnation being brought nearer to us by the garb of the flesh. Forasmuch as we because of our sins could not enter in to Him, He therefore came forth to us.

RABAN; Or, He went forth when having left Judea he passed by the Apostles to the Gentiles.

JEROME; Or, He was within while He was yet in the house, and spoke sacraments to His disciples. He went therefore forth from the house, that He might sow seed among the multitudes.

CHRYS When you hear the words, the sower went out to sow, do not suppose that is a tautology. For the sower goes out oftentimes for other ends; as, to break up the ground, to pluck up noxious weeds, to root up thorns, or perform any other species of industry, but this man went forth to sow. What then becomes of that seed? three parts of it perish, and one is preserved; but not all in the same manner, but with a certain difference, as it follows, And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside.

JEROME; This parable Valentinus lays hold of to establish his heresy, bringing in three different natures: the spiritual, the natural or the animal, and the earthly. But there are here four named, one by the wayside, one stony, one thorny, and a fourth the good ground.

CHRYS; Next, how is it according to reason to sow seed among thorns, or on stony ground, or by the wayside? Indeed in the material seed and soil of this world it would not be reason able; for it is impossible that rock should become soil, or that the way should not be the way, or that thorns should not be thorns. But with minds and doctrines it is otherwise; there it is possible that the rock be made rich soil, that the way should be no more trodden upon, and that the thorns should be extirpated. That the most part of the seed then perished, came not of him that sowed, but of the soil that received it, that is the mind. For He that sowed put no difference between rich and poor, wise or foolish, but spoke to all alike; filling up his own part, though foreseeing all things that should come to pass, so that He might say, What ought I to have done that I have not done? He does not pronounce sentence upon them openly and say, this the indolent received and have lost it, this the rich and have choked it, this the careless and have lost it, because He would not harshly reprove them, that He might not alienate them altogether. By this parable also He instructs His disciples, that though the greater part of those that heard them were as perished, yet that they should not therefore be remiss in the Lord Himself who foresaw all things, did not on account desist from sowing.

JEROME; Note that this is the first parable that has been given with its interpretation but we must beware where the Lord expounds His own teachings, that we do not presume to understand any thing either more or less, or any way otherwise than as so expounded by Him.

RABAN; But those things which He silently left to our understanding should be shortly noticed. The wayside is the mind trodden and hardened by the continual passage of evil thoughts; the rock, the hardness of the self-willed mind; the good soil, the gentleness of the obedient mind; the sun, the heat of a raging persecution. The depth of soil, is the honesty of a mind trained by heavenly discipline. But in thus expounding them we should add, that the same things are not always put in one and the same allegorical signification.

JEROME; And we are excited to the understanding of His words, by the advice which follows, He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

REMIG; These ears to hear, are ears of the mind, to understand namely and do those things which are commanded.

Catena Aurea Matthew 13

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 29, Issue 4

<< Wednesday, July 24, 2013 >>

St. Sharbel Makhluf

Exodus 16:1-5, 9-15
View Readings

Psalm 78:18-19, 23-28

Matthew 13:1-9
Similar Reflections

GOD IS LIKE THE RAIN

"A farmer went out sowing." —Matthew 13:4

It seems that God isn't very efficient. He sows manna and quail like "rain" (Ex 16:4; Ps 78:27). It lands everywhere, all over the camp, all over the desert ground, available to both the humble and those who grumble (Ex 16:13). He sows the Word like "the rain" (see Is 55:10-11). It lands everywhere, even on the footpath and the rocks and among thorns where it seemingly can't grow (Mt 13:4-7). The Lord even sends real rain to nourish the ground everywhere, on the land of the just and the unjust (Mt 5:45).

Praise God that He sends His Word everywhere — to the illiterate, marginalized, grumblers, criminals, sinners, to those who hate Him and those who hunger for His Word. "Learn a lesson from the way" God sows His Word and His grace (Mt 6:28). Have the attitude of God's agents, His rainclouds. They drop rain everywhere they are. Likewise, sow God's Word everywhere. Don't worry about wasting your effort, conserving your strength, or being efficient with your evangelization. Keep it simple. Think God's rain, think God's reign, and just get the Word out.

Prayer: Father, who am I to decide who is unable to receive Your Word and Your blessings? May I sow bountifully so You may reap bountifully (2 Cor 9:6).

Promise: "He commanded the skies above and the doors of heaven He opened; He rained manna upon them for food and gave them heavenly bread." —Ps 78:23-24

Praise: St. Sharbel was a Lebanese monk who lived for twenty-three years as a hermit. St. Sharbel, pray for peace in the Middle East.

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Meditation: Exodus 16:1-5, 9-15

Marriage = One Man and One Woman Til' Death Do Us Part

The “Ears” of Our Hearts

One Bread, One Body

GOD IS LIKE THE RAIN