Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings 20-July-2022

Universalis/Jerusalem Bible ^

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20 July 2022

Wednesday of week 16 in Ordinary Time



Holy Trinity Church, Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ukraine

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: C(II).

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First reading

Jeremiah 1:1,4-10 ©

Go and say whatever I command you and do not fear

The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, of a priestly family living at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.

  The word of the Lord was addressed to me, saying,

‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;

before you came to birth I consecrated you;

I have appointed you as prophet to the nations.’

I said, ‘Ah, Lord; look, I do not know how to speak: I am a child!’

But the Lord replied,

‘Do not say, “I am a child.”

Go now to those to whom I send you

and, say whatever I command you.

Do not be afraid of them,

for I am with you to protect you –

it is the Lord who speaks!’

Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me:

‘There! I am putting my words into your mouth.

Look, today I am setting you

over nations and over kingdoms,

to tear up and to knock down,

to destroy and to overthrow,

to build and to plant.’

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Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 70(71):1-6,15,17 ©

My lips will tell of your help.

In you, O Lord, I take refuge;

  let me never be put to shame.

In your justice rescue me, free me:

  pay heed to me and save me.

My lips will tell of your help.

Be a rock where I can take refuge,

  a mighty stronghold to save me;

  for you are my rock, my stronghold.

Free me from the hand of the wicked.

My lips will tell of your help.

It is you, O Lord, who are my hope,

  my trust, O Lord, since my youth.

On you I have leaned from my birth,

  from my mother’s womb you have been my help.

My lips will tell of your help.

My lips will tell of your justice

  and day by day of your help.

O God, you have taught me from my youth

  and I proclaim your wonders still.

My lips will tell of your help.

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Gospel Acclamation	Ps118:36,29

Alleluia, alleluia!

Bend my heart to your will, O Lord,

and teach me your law.

Alleluia!

Or:

Alleluia, alleluia!

The seed is the word of God, Christ the sower;

whoever finds this seed will remain for ever.

Alleluia!

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Gospel	Matthew 13:1-9 ©

A sower went out to sow

Jesus left the house and sat by the lakeside, but such large crowds gathered round him that he got into a boat and sat there. The people all stood on the beach, and he told them many things in parables.

  He said, ‘Imagine a sower going out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on patches of rock where they found little soil and sprang up straight away, because there was no depth of earth; but as soon as the sun came up they were scorched and, not having any roots, they withered away. Others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Others fell on rich soil and produced their crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Listen, anyone who has ears!’

The readings on this page are from the Jerusalem Bible, which is used at Mass in most of the English-speaking world. The New American Bible readings, which are used at Mass in the United States, are available in the Universalis apps, programs and downloads.

You can also view this page with the Gospel in Greek and English.

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For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

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KEYWORDS: catholic; mt13; ordinarytime; prayer;

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Jim still needs our prayers. Thread 2
Prayer thread for Salvation's recovery
Pray for Ukraine

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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

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Catena Aurea by St. Thomas Aguinas

Matthew CHAP. 13

13:1–9

1. The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

2. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3. And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4. And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, 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 hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

CHRYSOSTOM. 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 honour due to His mother, as it is said, The same day Jesus went forth out of the house, and sat down by the sea side.

AUGUSTINE. (De Cons. Ev. ii. 41.) By the words, The same day, he sufficiently shews that these things either followed immediately upon what had gone before, or that many things could not have intervened; unless indeed ‘day’ here after the Scripture manner signifies a period.

RABANUS. For not only the Lord’s words and actions, but His journeyings 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 dæmon, He went out and taught by the sea, to signify that having left Judæa 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 Judæa 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 sea shore what they were not worthy to hear within; And great multitudes were gathered unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat down, and all the people stood on the shore.

CHRYSOSTOM. The Evangelist did not relate this without a purpose, but that he might shew 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 to and fro 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.

RABANUS. 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 spake 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 spake many things unto them in parables.

CHRYSOSTOM. 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 bringing things before the eyes.

JEROME. And it is to be noted, that He spake 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 may receive some portion of His teaching.

CHRYSOSTOM. 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.

CHRYSOSTOM. Whence then went out He who is every where 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 unto Him, He therefore came forth to us.

RABANUS. 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 spake sacraments to His disciples. He went therefore forth from the house, that He might sow seed among the multitudes.

CHRYSOSTOM. 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.

CHRYSOSTOM. 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 reasonable; 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? (Is. 5:4) 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 such as perished, yet that they should not therefore be remiss; for the Lord Himself who foresaw all things, did not on this account desist from sowing.

JEROME. Note that this is the first parable that has been given with its interpretation, and 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.

RABANUS. 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 hath ears to hear, let him hear.

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

Catena Aurea Matthew 13

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The Preaching of Saint John the Baptist

Bacchiacca

c. 1520
Oil on wood, 68,5 x 92 cm
Szépmûvészeti Múzeum, Budapest

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Who Was Elijah in the Bible?

At Elijah’s word, kings trembled, the rains stopped, a jug of oil never ran dry, a boy was raised from the dead, fire fell from the sky, revival broke out, and hundreds of idolatrous prophets of Baal were executed.

• David Sanford Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
• 2021 9 Feb

Claims to fame: Elijah is one of the greatest prophets and miracle-workers in the Hebrew scriptures. He is also one of two prophets who appear with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration.

Worst failures: Fearing Jezebel, Elijah flees into the desert and asks the Lord to take his life. He wrongly assumes that he is the Lord’s only prophet within the kingdom of Israel.

Meaning of the Name "Elijah"

The name Elijah comes from the Old Testament of the Bible, and stems from a Hebrew expression signifying “Jehovah is my God.” The biblical Elijah was a prophet known for upholding the worship of God and doing miracles in God’s name. The prophet Elijah is venerated by Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike.

According to VeryWellFamily, the name Elijah has the following origin, gender use, and pronunciations:

• Origin: The name Elijah comes from the Hebrew words El (God) and Yah (Jehovah). It is found in the Old Testament, specifically in the First and Second Books of Kings.
• Gender: Elijah is historically the masculine form of the name. Eliyah and Eliana are sometimes used as feminine variations.
• Pronunciation: el-EYE-jah or uh-LIE-jah

Bible Verses about Elijah

If you’re going to read only three Bible chapters about Elijah, take 11 minutes and read 1 Kings 17-19. Or take four minutes and read the main part of the story in 1 Kings 18.

Most of Elijah’s story is told in 1 Kings 17-19 and 2 Kings 1-2.

Quick references to Elijah appear in 2 Kings 3:11, 2 Kings 9:36, 2 Kings 10:10, and 2 Kings 10:17. In addition, Elijah shows up near the end of the Hebrew scriptures in 2 Chronicles 21:12-15 (letter telling Judah’s king Jehoram about his forthcoming and rather gruesome death).

And he shows up at the end of the Old Testament in Malachi 4:5-6 (prophecy about John the Baptist as the forerunner of the Messiah).

In the New Testament, quick references to Elijah appear in Matthew 11:14, Matthew 16:14, Matthew 27:47-49; Mark 6:15 and Mark 8:28; Luke 1:17, Luke 4:25-26, Luke 9:8, and Luke 9:19; John 1:21 and John 1:25; Romans 11:2; and James 5:17-18.

Last but not least, Elijah appears with Moses and Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17:3-13, Mark 9:4-13, and Luke 9:30-33.

Elijah’s Missing Years

We’re introduced to “Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead” in 1 Kings 17:1. 

We’re told nothing more, not even who his parents were.

For that reason, Elijah’s life story doesn’t start until he’s probably 30, 40, or 50 years old. Yes, we typically think of Elijah as an old man, but that may or may not have been the case.

Elijah’s Ministry Years

Elijah never has anything good to say about wicked tyrants. Near the end of his ministry, Elijah writes a letter informing the southern kingdom of Judah’s wicked king Jehoram that he will die in a most excruciating manner.

Otherwise, Elijah focuses his ministry on the northern kingdom, condemning Israel’s wicked King Ahab, Queen Jezebel, and their sons.

Then again, Elijah isn’t just doom and gloom. During three and a half years without rain, the Lord instructs Elijah to hide. First, the Lord tells him to hide by a stream called Cherith east of the Jordan River, where ravens will feed him.

Second, the Lord tells Elijah to hide in a town called Zarephath on the Mediterranean coast between Tyre and Sidon. There a poor widow will feed him from a miraculous supply of grain and oil. In this season of hiding, the Lord graciously cares for Elijah at every turn.

At the end of these years without rain, Elijah calls a national contest on Mount Carmel between the Lord God, creator of heaven and earth, and the wicked pagan gods of Baal and Asherah. It’s quite a dramatic story well worth reading or reading again.

After his great triumph atop Mount Carmel, however, Elijah fears Queen Jezebel’s vow to take his life “by about this time tomorrow” (1 Kings 19:2).

Actually, “fears” is an understatement. Elijah flees into southern Judah’s wilderness, collapses under a tree, and begs the Lord to take him before Jezebel’s men find and slaughter him. In other words, Elijah is depressed out of his mind.

In this season of hiding, the Lord sends an angel to revive him and give him his final instructions, including appointing his successor, Elisha. 

Elijah’s Miracles 

• Causing rain to cease in Israel for three and a half years (1 Kings 17:1). Being fed by ravens sent by the Lord (1 Kings 17:2-7). Multiplying a widow’s grain and oil (1 Kings 17:18-16). Raising that widow’s son from the dead (1 Kings 17:17-24).
• Calling fire from heaven atop Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:36-38). Causing it to rain again after three and a half years of drought (1 Kings 18:44-46). Fasting from food for 40 days while trekking to Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8).
• Prophesies that Ahab’s sons would all be destroyed (1 Kings 21:22). Prophesying that Jezebel would be eaten by dogs (1 Kings 21:23). Prophesying that Ahaziah would die of his illness (2 Kings 1:4-17). Calling fire from heaven to destroy 51 soldiers (2 Kings 1:10).
• Calling fire from heaven on another 51 soldiers (2 Kings 1:12). Parting of the Jordan River while accompanied by Elisha (2 Kings 2:8). Promising that Elisha would receive a double portion of his spirit (2 Kings 2:10).
• Being caught up to heaven with a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:11). Prophesying that Jehoram would die a horrible death (2 Chronicles 21:12-15). Appearing with Moses and Jesus (Matthew 17:3-13; Mark 9:4-13; Luke 9:30-33).

Lesson's From Elijah's Bible Story 

Moses has his place in American cinema with The Ten Commandments and The Prince of Egypt. It’s about time someone commissioned a new epic about one of the Old Testament’s other truly great heroes.

The prophet Elijah ranks right up there with Moses as one of the most dramatic prophets of the Lord. At Elijah’s word, kings trembled, the rains stopped, a jug of oil never ran dry, a boy was raised from the dead, fire fell from the sky, revival broke out, and hundreds of idolatrous prophets of Baal were executed.

Yet James 5:17 says that “Elijah was as human as we are.”

After running almost the length of a marathon, this great prophet entered the city of Jezreel just in time to hear wicked Queen Jezebel’s murderous threats.

How does Elijah respond?

True to life, Scripture says he panicked.

After several days on the run, Elijah collapses — exhausted, lonely, frightened, and feeling utterly defeated. In his desperation, he foolishly begs the Lord to take his life.

Instead, the Lord renews Elijah — with a double portion of food, drink, rest. And then he sends him out again with a powerful demonstration of his power, with a quiet word to his heart, with a new commission, and with the assurance that many others also were on his side.

Whether in victory or despair, we can trust the Lord to know exactly what we need and to meet our every need in His sometimes, miraculous ways. 

For further reading: 

What Is the Jezebel Spirit?

Who Is Baal in the Bible?

What Is a Graven Image?

What Is an Asherah Pole?

Did God Condone Violence Found in the Old Testament?

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/AlexRaths

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David Sanford’s book and Bible projects have been published by Zondervan, Tyndale, Thomas Nelson, Doubleday, Barbour, and Amazon. His newest book is Life Map Devotional for Men published concurrently with his wife Renee’s new book, Life Map Devotional for Women.

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christianity.com

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[fidelis]

NAVARRE BIBLE COMMENTARY (RSV)

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God)

From: Jeremiah 1:1, 4-10

The Lord calls Jeremiah
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[1] The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilki′ah, of the priests who were in An′athoth in the land of Benjamin.

[4] Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, [5] “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” [6] Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. [8] Be not afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you. [9] Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. [10] See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build up and to plant.”

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Commentary:

1:1-19. The book of Jeremiah is a collection of the prophet’s oracles arranged more by subject than in chronological order and interspersed with stories about his life. The heading (vv. 1-3), as in most of the prophetical books, introduces the prophet and tells when he lived. Then, as an introduction to the book, comes an account of the call of Jeremiah (vv. 4-10) along with two visions that give a good description of the man (vv. 11-12 and 13-19).

1:4-10. This account of the call of Jeremiah gives a very good idea of the mysterious nature of every divine call – a call from all eternity and involving no merit on the part of the person called, in which God makes known to a soul the why and wherefore of his or her life. No one comes into being by accident, for everything that happens is part of God’s providence (v. 5). God’s action in creating a person is described graphically – “formed” you in the womb – a word used to describe what a potter does when he models something in clay. The Lord “knew” Jeremiah – a reference to his choosing him for a specific mission (cf. Amos 3:2; Rom 8:29); God has a plan for each person, and he endows each with talents that equip him or her to put that plan into effect. The passage also talks of a “consecration”, that is, the earmarking of a person or thing for the service of God. God’s plan for someone, made before the person is born, emerges in due course, when he or she is old enough to take on the assignments that God has been preparing him for. Glossing this passage, St John Chrysostom, has God say this: “I am the one who knit you together in your mother’s womb. Your life is not a work of nature, nor the fruit of suffering. I am the origin and cause of all things: you should obey and offer yourself to me,” and he adds: “It does not begin with I consecrated you: first, I knew you; then I consecrated you. Thus is the original choice shown, and after the original choice, the particular calling” (Fragmenta in Ieremiam, 1).

When the mystery of a person’s calling begins to be revealed, their initial reaction can be one of fear, because they are very conscious of their limitations and feel that they are not up to the tasks that the Lord entrusts them with. Jeremiah, for example, argues that he is too young (v. 6). We do not know how old he was at the time, for the word he uses to describe his age (na’ar) is imprecise. He was probably only an adolescent (cf. Gen 37:2; 1 Sam 2:18; 3:1-21). In responding to a vocation, one needs to listen, above all, to God who calls, who never leaves his chosen ones on their own, and who always gives them the wherewithal to carry out the mission he is charging them with (vv. 7-8).

The Lord’s symbolic gesture of putting out his hand to touch Jeremiah’s mouth, as if to fill it with divine words, is similar to other gestures found in accounts of the calling of prophets (cf. Is 6:7; Ezek 2:8-3:3; Dan 10:16). It is to tell the man not to be concerned: he can rest assured that God will give him the right words to express himself. It is a promise similar to that made by Jesus to his disciples: he assured them of the Holy Spirit’s help when the time came for them to bear witness to him (cf. Mt 10:19-20).

The assignment given to Jeremiah implies a heavy responsibility; he will need fortitude if he is to carry it out (v. 10). It involves in the first place doing destructive things (plucking up, breaking down, destroying and overthrowing) and only then come constructive roles (building and planning). St Gregory the Great will apply the same idea to the attention that is called for in the pastoral care of the faithful: “One cannot build up if what disturbs the foundation has not been destroyed. In other words, the sweet words of good preaching are sown in vain if the thorns of self-love have not first been plucked from the hearts of listeners” (Regular pastoralis, 3, 34).

[fidelis]

From: Matthew 13:1-9

Parable of the Sower
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[1] That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. [2] And great crowds gathered about Him, so that He got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the beach. [3] And He told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow. [4] And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. [5] Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, [6] but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away. [7] Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. [8] Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. [9] He who has ears, let him hear."

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Commentary:

3. Chapter 13 of St. Matthew includes as many as seven of Jesus' parables, which is the reason why it is usually called "the parable discourse" or the "parabolic discourse". Because of their similarity of content and setting these parables are often called the "Kingdom parables", and also the "parables of the Lake", because Jesus taught them on the shore of Lake Gennesaret. Jesus uses these elaborate comparisons (parables) to explain certain features of the Kingdom of God which He has come to establish (cf. Matthew 3:2)--its tiny, humble origins; its steady growth; its worldwide scope; its salvific force. God calls everyone to salvation but only those attain it who receive God's call with good dispositions and who do not change their attitude; the value of the spiritual benefits the Kingdom brings--so valuable that one should give up everything to obtain them; the fact that good and bad are all mixed together until the harvest time, or the time of God's judgment; the intimate connection between earthly and heavenly aspects of the Kingdom, until it reaches its point of full development at the end of time.

On Jesus' lips, parables are exceptionally effective. By using parables He keeps His listeners' attention, whether they are uneducated or not, and by means of the most ordinary things of daily life He sheds light on the deepest supernatural mysteries. He used the parable device in a masterly way; His parables are quite unique; they carry the seal of His personality; through them He has graphically shown us the riches of grace, the life of the Church, the demands of the faith and even the mystery of God's own inner life.

Jesus' teaching continues to provide every generation with light and guidance on moral conduct. By reading and reflecting on His parables one can savor the adorable humanity of the Savior, who showed such kindness to the people who crowded around to hear Him--and who shows the same readiness to listen to our prayers, despite our dullness, and to reply to our healthy curiosity when we try to make out His meaning.

3-8. Anyone who has visited the fertile plain to the west of the Lake of Gennesaret will appreciate Jesus' touching description in the parable of the sower. The plain is crisscrossed by paths; it is streaked with rocky ground, often with the rocks lying just beneath the surface, and with the courses of rivulets, dry for most of the year but still retaining some moisture. Here and there are clumps of large thorn bushes. When the agricultural worker sows seed in this mixed kind of land, he knows that some seed will fare better than others.

9. Jesus did not explain this parable there and then. It was quite usual for parables to be presented in the first instance as a kind of puzzle to gain the listener's attention, excite his curiosity and fix the parable in his memory. It may well be that Jesus wanted to allow his more interested listeners to identify themselves by coming back to hear Him again--as happened with His disciples. The rest—who listened out of idle curiosity or for too human reasons (to see Him work miracles)—would not benefit from hearing a more detailed and deeper explanation of the parable.

Source: Daily Word for Reflection—Navarre Bible Commentary