MATTHEW
CHAPTER
13
1. That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach.
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 1 and 2)
After the confrontation with the Pharisees in chapter 12 of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus may have wished to spend some time alone and maybe even in prayer. There are moments oh Jesus when it is healthy and necessary to retreat and reflect on our lives in a state of intimacy with You oh Jesus. The stress and pressure of this life on earth is so hectic and draining of our energy that we end up in need of refuelling in order to go on. However as in your case we need to continue with our lives and return to the duties that You have assigned for us. I thank You oh Jesus for always having time for me, and for never sending me away because I came to your office after office hours! Thank You for being both available an receptive.
On reflecting oh Jesus I observed that although You were available You safeguarded Your personal space. At times we are to respect other people's boundaries and have others respect ours. Your intentions may have been that of not being squashed by the crowds and thus be of service from a healthy distance. I pray oh Jesus that between me and You there will never be such a great distance for I cannot survive away from Your presence.
3. And he told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow, 4. and as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth soil. 6. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. 7. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundred-fold, some sixty, some thirty, 9. Let anyone with ears listen!"
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 3 to 9)
When we listen to the Good News we can be either in one of the mentioned states of being. On receiving the Good News we may at first welcome it with joy and become filled with Your Spirit however, when the first signs of trouble crops up we become demoralised and feel totally disappointed because we cannot understand why this and that has happened to us at a point when we feel strong in You. Gradually we start feeling discouraged and our faith in You withers. Another scenario is that when we receive and accept Your Good News. At that time we are fertile ground, however the tests and trials of this world gradually drain us of our faith and we suffer spiritual setbacks. However there is also the other scenario. Those of us who have survived the first two difficult stages with the help of God, are now able to withstand the scorching sun and turn its source from a negative source of destruction that makes the grain wither to one of nourishment. In such cases the scorching grace of the sun or God becomes food and nourishment which makes the grain or presence of God in us so strong that we produce much fruit. I believe that as human beings we gradually pass through the three stages and gradually, when our ears are tuned to receive and accept You as God our father we will then be able to be fruitful both for ourselves and for others. Let us therefore stop and pray for the divine power of the Holy Spirit that is able to give us the spiritual fertiliser in order to make us fruitful.
10. Then the disciples came and asked him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?". 11. He answered, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12. For those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 10 to 12)
Many people might be exposed to the same scripture attend the same parish come from more or less the same background they may perceive the 'Good News' in a totally different way. On the other hand some may not even be touched by its message at all. The reason is that this gift of understanding God's Word on being exposed to it is not given to all, therefore priests are appointed to explain to us the meaning of Your Word oh God, so that we can all live according to its message that is light for our eyes and nourishment for our souls and the well-being of our entire body and soul.
13. The reason I speak to them in parables is that 'seeing that they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand. 14. With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: 'You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look but never perceive. 15. For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing. and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn and I would heal them.'
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 13 to 15)
So much for disability and equality for all, if we are more or less impaired. This leaves no room for negative discrimination against impaired people with disabilities because on reflecting we are all rowing the same boat. If we have listen that we cannot use to listen we have disabled ears. If we have eyes that we cannot use to see we also have impaired eyes. If our brains are perceived on our earthly reality and not on our faithful reality we are not whole persons. Our perceptions are limited and corrupt. If we live the day and never consider the fact that one fine day we are bound to die when the fatal moment comes we will be caught off-guard.
16. But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17.Truly I tell 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.
(Matthew chapter 13 verse 17)
I am one of those people oh Jesus who would have craved to witness Your presence and even talk with You at the time that You were physically present on earth. My craves for You so much, however I need to rely on my faith and imagination in order to have a perception of You and who You are. I thank You for giving me the Bible for at least I can pray and meditate on Your Word in compensation for the fact that I was not physically present during those times.
18. "Hear then the parable of the sower. 19. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path.
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 18 to 19)
On reflecting oh Jesus I wonder how a person cannot understand Your 'Good News' when we have an un measurable bounty of resources both on line and even offline and even in our spirit meaning the Divine Knowledge of Your holy Spirit that is always happy and ready to help us understand Your Word. Therefore we are to approach Your Good News in a spirit of prayer instead of with an attitude that shows distrust, scepticism or utter unbelief which compels us to try to disprove it instead of accepting it as the one and only truth in our lives.
20. As for what was sown on the rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. 21. yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word that person immediately falls away.
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 20 to 21)
When comparing this person to that who had the Good News of the Kingdom snatched from him, this person was in a better spiritual state, for he had the opportunity of receiving Your Word and accepting it for what it is, however there is only the feeling of joy without true faith and conviction. The scenario is like when we go to Church to receive You or attend a prayer meeting. Once in Your presence we feel overjoyed, however once we return back to our testing grounds we turn back to our old sinful ways. This means that we and I are not yet spiritually strong to withstand the attacks of the evil one.
22. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing.
(Matthew chapter 13 verse 22)
This is what is called the 'but' situation. Oh Jesus how I wish I do not do this sin and that! How I wish to be different 'but' I cannot overcome my carnal desires, my ambition to be above others, my thirst for power! Oh Jesus I really wish to be different but.....
A never ending story of buts and complaints. Jesus sweetly tells us to stand up and give our but a rest. 'Place your trust in me and not in your buts and you will be freed from your addiction, desires and but syndrome which becomes a blockage in our lives on many levels, not even the spiritual. We may be lacking out on many gifts and opportunities that God wants to give us because of our 'but syndrome' and may because of it remain in our rut for a very long time. However why waste all this time when God is offering us His Good News the only reliable means of our Salvation! Today get off Your but and in humility kneel down before God and talk this over with Him, pray for the activation of the power of the Holy Spirit which dwells in you. Give Him full control and you will see wonders happening in your life. This word is for me and for everyone if we only abandon our securities and place our trust in You, we no longer need anti stress tablets or antidepressants for our lives would be constantly renewed in the power of Your Holy Spirit.
23. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
(Matthew chapter 13 verse 23)
When we have overcome our sinful nature and its sinful drives and self by nature, we will be fertile ground for the seeds of the Good News to flourish. On reflecting, one might say that this state of being may be beyond human capacity, however if we honestly pray to God for the healing of our self, then the Holy Spirit of God will feel welcome not only to dwell comfortably in us but also, give us many gifts so that we can make much fruit, all of us, according to the gifts that he has given us. On reflecting it would be nice to thank You oh Jesus for the gifts that You have already given us and to strengthen those areas of our lives that still need adjustments or fine tuning.
24. He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field. 25. but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27. And the slaves of the household came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' 28. He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' 29. But he replied, 'No, for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 24 to 30)
Have you ever wanted something really bad, and placed an outstanding amount of energy prayer and resources in order to reach your goal and suddenly something crops up and ruins all your progress or maybe causes you to stop and change your strategy. In my Spiritual life oh Jesus this happens often. I invest a reasonable time in prayer, You oh Jesus in turn invest eternity of Your time in planning a future for me and my family, however the evil one starts to plant negative thoughts and feelings in my head and heart, and I end up, either reaping the fruit of Your investment, or end up messing up the whole perfectly organised plan.
A practical example is when You gave me sunflower seeds to sow in my terrarium. I had long been waiting for this moment. I sowed the seeds and they started growing about half a meter. I was very happy with them, however due to the attacks of Satan on my relationship with my wife, I completely forgot to water them. During this moment of prayer You reminded me of them as a perfect example and I found them parched with thirst in a critical stage of existence. I watered the plants, however it is Your decision if You would like the plants to recover and bear flower and eventually seeds for next year or not.
31. He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32. it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 31 to 32)
The Roman Catholic Church also started as one small group of Apostles under the leadership of You oh God, however gradually because it was according to Your Will it expanded beyond frontiers and is still in a state of growth. I compare the mustard seed to this blog. When I started praying on chapter 1 of the book of Genesis I was sharing my posts with only six people. Today I make part of 171 circles.
33. He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like the yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened."
(Matthew chapter 13 verse 33)
Thank You oh Jesus for using such simple terms in order to pass on Your message to us. Thank You for choosing examples from our every day life so that we could understand the message behind the parable.
When reflecting on this parable I compare the yeast and the process of its manufacture and development to my own life and maybe even to that of anyone praying on this chapter. In order to be activated the yeast is to be mixed with the flour, however if the conditions are not correct the yeast will not grow. The same thing happens to us when we receive Your word. You give us the yeast seed by means of the proclamation of Your word and if it finds us receptive this seed develops and Your relationship with us starts developing each day of our life. Gradually we will become a good mixture as in the case of the, dough that is flattened and processed in order to make bread. During the course of our life oh Jesus you process us so that we become the best offering in order to be offered to You when we appear before You when our physical time on earth has expired according to Your will.
I invite you to click on the following link that shows how bread is made and the role of the yeast.
How yeast works in bread
As in the example of the yeast, our faith gives us the power to grow in our relationship with God. The Holy Spirit of God is the raising agent of our life that gives sense to it and makes it really worth living. As in the following video clip the soul also needs to grow in our relationship with God. A very helpful way is spiritual direction. As in the case of the yeast Your presence starts growing in us until gradually we become close and intimate with You our father. I invite you to click on the following link.
Spiritual direction enables spiritual growth in Jesus
34. Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. 35. This was to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet. " I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world."
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 34 to 35)
Oh Jesus You have a particular way to deliver Your messages to us. You do so because our brains are not able to grasp the complete meaning of Your message. In order for us to get the message, You use facilitation. As in the case of little children You use story telling in order to communicate with us. You also use other people and their life circumstances both present and past in order to stimulate our faith, feelings, thoughts as stepping stones for our redemption and growth in our relationship with You and others.
36. Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field."
(Matthew chapter 13 verse 36)
Oh how nice it is to have some quiet time with You oh Jesus. During such moments of intimacy You reveal to me a deeper understanding of what You mean by Your Word. During such moments of prayer You reveal to me profound insights which I then share with anyone who has eyes to see and an open heart to welcome Your Word.
37. He answered , "The one who sows the seed is the Son of Man; 38. the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39. and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42. and they will throw them into the furnace of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 37 to 43)
The devil sows weeds in our lives. These weeds can be anything that stops us from being happy and often hinder the unfolding of God's will in our lives. The weed may be a colleague who is making your life difficult so that she or he can be promoted instead of you who rightly deserve the promotion. The weed may also be an addiction or compulsion that is keeping you in a rut and denying you of the liberty to live a free life as one of the sons of God.
44. "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46. on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 44 to 46)
Oh Jesus it is indeed a great find to all those who experience You in their life. My relationship with You and the gift of heaven is the greatest of gifts that money surely cannot purchase for whatever the price. You are my treasure and my life. Without You there is no life, there is no valid reason to live without You in my life. Nothing is of value compared to You oh Jesus.
47. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48. when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50. and threw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 47 to 50)
Oh Jesus may we all be counted as being counted as worthy of being among the righteous. I can only imagine with fear and trembling what it would be like to be counted as evil and not worthy of entering Your kingdom. It would surely be something worth gnashing our teeth for.
51. "Have you understood all this?" they answered "Yes"
(Matthew chapter 13 verse 51)
Verse 51 of the thirteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew creates a huge dilemma oh Jesus. If my answer to Your question was to be a straight "Yes" which I believe it is, then the second question would be "Why Do I not always live according to what I have understood? When I am saying that I have understood I have also accepted the responsibility of living all that I have understood. Therefore I pray to You oh Jesus to give me faith that leads to the understanding and living the messages given to me in Your Good News. I pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit from whom all faith, knowledge and understanding is given.
52. And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old. 53. When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place.
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 52 to 53)
These verses oh Jesus are enough to prove that the "Old Testament" is as valid as the "New Testament" because both are useful for our spiritual growth. Oh Jesus You consider them both as being treasure and I am a witness of this treasure for I have been meditating on Your Good News starting from the first verse of the first book of the book of Genesis and am still in the process of reaping the treasure hidden in both Testaments.
54. He came to his home town and began to teach the people in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power? 55. Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and \Judas? 56. And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?"
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 54 to 56)
How easy it is to accept You simply as a human and deny the holy and divine nature that is also a part of Your Nature. In order for us to feel not guilty of our sins it is a good defence mechanism to deny Your divine nature and accept You simply as a man or a historic figure. I pray for our own good that we will always be aware of our sins and never deny the fact that we have You as our loving father.
57. And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor except in their own country and in their own house." 58. And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief.
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 57 to 58)
People who are not willing to understand your message may find Your good news as being illogical because it humanly goes against the values of the world and also against the norms held by human nature. Therefore in such cases those who have blocked their minds by a negative spirit of unbelief are not receptive to You and therefore they cannot witness the presence and power of a radical change in their life based on Your way of life. Such people flow with the current and norms of the world. However the choice is always ours to make.
I would like to end this chapter of the gospel of Matthew by praying especially for all the members of the Roman Catholic Church and even for those of other churches. The temptation oh Jesus for us who are familiar with Your Good News is that of either taking it for granted or not understanding it at all and thus we may not bear the desired fruit. I pray to You oh Jesus that once again You blow Your Holy Spirit on the Roman Catholic Church and other churches so that we will all be empowered in faith by Your Holy Spirit and be genuine witnesses of Your Kingdom. Amen.
I invite all who is praying on this chapter to join me in this prayer to the Holy Spirit of God:
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 3 to 9)
When we listen to the Good News we can be either in one of the mentioned states of being. On receiving the Good News we may at first welcome it with joy and become filled with Your Spirit however, when the first signs of trouble crops up we become demoralised and feel totally disappointed because we cannot understand why this and that has happened to us at a point when we feel strong in You. Gradually we start feeling discouraged and our faith in You withers. Another scenario is that when we receive and accept Your Good News. At that time we are fertile ground, however the tests and trials of this world gradually drain us of our faith and we suffer spiritual setbacks. However there is also the other scenario. Those of us who have survived the first two difficult stages with the help of God, are now able to withstand the scorching sun and turn its source from a negative source of destruction that makes the grain wither to one of nourishment. In such cases the scorching grace of the sun or God becomes food and nourishment which makes the grain or presence of God in us so strong that we produce much fruit. I believe that as human beings we gradually pass through the three stages and gradually, when our ears are tuned to receive and accept You as God our father we will then be able to be fruitful both for ourselves and for others. Let us therefore stop and pray for the divine power of the Holy Spirit that is able to give us the spiritual fertiliser in order to make us fruitful.
10. Then the disciples came and asked him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?". 11. He answered, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12. For those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 10 to 12)
Many people might be exposed to the same scripture attend the same parish come from more or less the same background they may perceive the 'Good News' in a totally different way. On the other hand some may not even be touched by its message at all. The reason is that this gift of understanding God's Word on being exposed to it is not given to all, therefore priests are appointed to explain to us the meaning of Your Word oh God, so that we can all live according to its message that is light for our eyes and nourishment for our souls and the well-being of our entire body and soul.
13. The reason I speak to them in parables is that 'seeing that they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand. 14. With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: 'You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look but never perceive. 15. For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing. and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn and I would heal them.'
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 13 to 15)
So much for disability and equality for all, if we are more or less impaired. This leaves no room for negative discrimination against impaired people with disabilities because on reflecting we are all rowing the same boat. If we have listen that we cannot use to listen we have disabled ears. If we have eyes that we cannot use to see we also have impaired eyes. If our brains are perceived on our earthly reality and not on our faithful reality we are not whole persons. Our perceptions are limited and corrupt. If we live the day and never consider the fact that one fine day we are bound to die when the fatal moment comes we will be caught off-guard.
16. But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17.Truly I tell 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.
(Matthew chapter 13 verse 17)
I am one of those people oh Jesus who would have craved to witness Your presence and even talk with You at the time that You were physically present on earth. My craves for You so much, however I need to rely on my faith and imagination in order to have a perception of You and who You are. I thank You for giving me the Bible for at least I can pray and meditate on Your Word in compensation for the fact that I was not physically present during those times.
18. "Hear then the parable of the sower. 19. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path.
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 18 to 19)
On reflecting oh Jesus I wonder how a person cannot understand Your 'Good News' when we have an un measurable bounty of resources both on line and even offline and even in our spirit meaning the Divine Knowledge of Your holy Spirit that is always happy and ready to help us understand Your Word. Therefore we are to approach Your Good News in a spirit of prayer instead of with an attitude that shows distrust, scepticism or utter unbelief which compels us to try to disprove it instead of accepting it as the one and only truth in our lives.
20. As for what was sown on the rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. 21. yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word that person immediately falls away.
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 20 to 21)
When comparing this person to that who had the Good News of the Kingdom snatched from him, this person was in a better spiritual state, for he had the opportunity of receiving Your Word and accepting it for what it is, however there is only the feeling of joy without true faith and conviction. The scenario is like when we go to Church to receive You or attend a prayer meeting. Once in Your presence we feel overjoyed, however once we return back to our testing grounds we turn back to our old sinful ways. This means that we and I are not yet spiritually strong to withstand the attacks of the evil one.
22. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing.
(Matthew chapter 13 verse 22)
This is what is called the 'but' situation. Oh Jesus how I wish I do not do this sin and that! How I wish to be different 'but' I cannot overcome my carnal desires, my ambition to be above others, my thirst for power! Oh Jesus I really wish to be different but.....
A never ending story of buts and complaints. Jesus sweetly tells us to stand up and give our but a rest. 'Place your trust in me and not in your buts and you will be freed from your addiction, desires and but syndrome which becomes a blockage in our lives on many levels, not even the spiritual. We may be lacking out on many gifts and opportunities that God wants to give us because of our 'but syndrome' and may because of it remain in our rut for a very long time. However why waste all this time when God is offering us His Good News the only reliable means of our Salvation! Today get off Your but and in humility kneel down before God and talk this over with Him, pray for the activation of the power of the Holy Spirit which dwells in you. Give Him full control and you will see wonders happening in your life. This word is for me and for everyone if we only abandon our securities and place our trust in You, we no longer need anti stress tablets or antidepressants for our lives would be constantly renewed in the power of Your Holy Spirit.
23. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
(Matthew chapter 13 verse 23)
When we have overcome our sinful nature and its sinful drives and self by nature, we will be fertile ground for the seeds of the Good News to flourish. On reflecting, one might say that this state of being may be beyond human capacity, however if we honestly pray to God for the healing of our self, then the Holy Spirit of God will feel welcome not only to dwell comfortably in us but also, give us many gifts so that we can make much fruit, all of us, according to the gifts that he has given us. On reflecting it would be nice to thank You oh Jesus for the gifts that You have already given us and to strengthen those areas of our lives that still need adjustments or fine tuning.
24. He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field. 25. but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27. And the slaves of the household came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' 28. He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' 29. But he replied, 'No, for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 24 to 30)
Have you ever wanted something really bad, and placed an outstanding amount of energy prayer and resources in order to reach your goal and suddenly something crops up and ruins all your progress or maybe causes you to stop and change your strategy. In my Spiritual life oh Jesus this happens often. I invest a reasonable time in prayer, You oh Jesus in turn invest eternity of Your time in planning a future for me and my family, however the evil one starts to plant negative thoughts and feelings in my head and heart, and I end up, either reaping the fruit of Your investment, or end up messing up the whole perfectly organised plan.
A practical example is when You gave me sunflower seeds to sow in my terrarium. I had long been waiting for this moment. I sowed the seeds and they started growing about half a meter. I was very happy with them, however due to the attacks of Satan on my relationship with my wife, I completely forgot to water them. During this moment of prayer You reminded me of them as a perfect example and I found them parched with thirst in a critical stage of existence. I watered the plants, however it is Your decision if You would like the plants to recover and bear flower and eventually seeds for next year or not.
31. He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32. it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 31 to 32)
The Roman Catholic Church also started as one small group of Apostles under the leadership of You oh God, however gradually because it was according to Your Will it expanded beyond frontiers and is still in a state of growth. I compare the mustard seed to this blog. When I started praying on chapter 1 of the book of Genesis I was sharing my posts with only six people. Today I make part of 171 circles.
33. He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like the yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened."
(Matthew chapter 13 verse 33)
Thank You oh Jesus for using such simple terms in order to pass on Your message to us. Thank You for choosing examples from our every day life so that we could understand the message behind the parable.
When reflecting on this parable I compare the yeast and the process of its manufacture and development to my own life and maybe even to that of anyone praying on this chapter. In order to be activated the yeast is to be mixed with the flour, however if the conditions are not correct the yeast will not grow. The same thing happens to us when we receive Your word. You give us the yeast seed by means of the proclamation of Your word and if it finds us receptive this seed develops and Your relationship with us starts developing each day of our life. Gradually we will become a good mixture as in the case of the, dough that is flattened and processed in order to make bread. During the course of our life oh Jesus you process us so that we become the best offering in order to be offered to You when we appear before You when our physical time on earth has expired according to Your will.
I invite you to click on the following link that shows how bread is made and the role of the yeast.
How yeast works in bread
As in the example of the yeast, our faith gives us the power to grow in our relationship with God. The Holy Spirit of God is the raising agent of our life that gives sense to it and makes it really worth living. As in the following video clip the soul also needs to grow in our relationship with God. A very helpful way is spiritual direction. As in the case of the yeast Your presence starts growing in us until gradually we become close and intimate with You our father. I invite you to click on the following link.
Spiritual direction enables spiritual growth in Jesus
34. Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. 35. This was to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet. " I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world."
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 34 to 35)
Oh Jesus You have a particular way to deliver Your messages to us. You do so because our brains are not able to grasp the complete meaning of Your message. In order for us to get the message, You use facilitation. As in the case of little children You use story telling in order to communicate with us. You also use other people and their life circumstances both present and past in order to stimulate our faith, feelings, thoughts as stepping stones for our redemption and growth in our relationship with You and others.
36. Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field."
(Matthew chapter 13 verse 36)
Oh how nice it is to have some quiet time with You oh Jesus. During such moments of intimacy You reveal to me a deeper understanding of what You mean by Your Word. During such moments of prayer You reveal to me profound insights which I then share with anyone who has eyes to see and an open heart to welcome Your Word.
37. He answered , "The one who sows the seed is the Son of Man; 38. the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39. and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42. and they will throw them into the furnace of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 37 to 43)
The devil sows weeds in our lives. These weeds can be anything that stops us from being happy and often hinder the unfolding of God's will in our lives. The weed may be a colleague who is making your life difficult so that she or he can be promoted instead of you who rightly deserve the promotion. The weed may also be an addiction or compulsion that is keeping you in a rut and denying you of the liberty to live a free life as one of the sons of God.
44. "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46. on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 44 to 46)
Oh Jesus it is indeed a great find to all those who experience You in their life. My relationship with You and the gift of heaven is the greatest of gifts that money surely cannot purchase for whatever the price. You are my treasure and my life. Without You there is no life, there is no valid reason to live without You in my life. Nothing is of value compared to You oh Jesus.
47. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48. when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50. and threw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 47 to 50)
Oh Jesus may we all be counted as being counted as worthy of being among the righteous. I can only imagine with fear and trembling what it would be like to be counted as evil and not worthy of entering Your kingdom. It would surely be something worth gnashing our teeth for.
51. "Have you understood all this?" they answered "Yes"
(Matthew chapter 13 verse 51)
Verse 51 of the thirteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew creates a huge dilemma oh Jesus. If my answer to Your question was to be a straight "Yes" which I believe it is, then the second question would be "Why Do I not always live according to what I have understood? When I am saying that I have understood I have also accepted the responsibility of living all that I have understood. Therefore I pray to You oh Jesus to give me faith that leads to the understanding and living the messages given to me in Your Good News. I pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit from whom all faith, knowledge and understanding is given.
52. And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old. 53. When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place.
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 52 to 53)
These verses oh Jesus are enough to prove that the "Old Testament" is as valid as the "New Testament" because both are useful for our spiritual growth. Oh Jesus You consider them both as being treasure and I am a witness of this treasure for I have been meditating on Your Good News starting from the first verse of the first book of the book of Genesis and am still in the process of reaping the treasure hidden in both Testaments.
54. He came to his home town and began to teach the people in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power? 55. Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and \Judas? 56. And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?"
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 54 to 56)
How easy it is to accept You simply as a human and deny the holy and divine nature that is also a part of Your Nature. In order for us to feel not guilty of our sins it is a good defence mechanism to deny Your divine nature and accept You simply as a man or a historic figure. I pray for our own good that we will always be aware of our sins and never deny the fact that we have You as our loving father.
57. And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor except in their own country and in their own house." 58. And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief.
(Matthew chapter 13 verses 57 to 58)
People who are not willing to understand your message may find Your good news as being illogical because it humanly goes against the values of the world and also against the norms held by human nature. Therefore in such cases those who have blocked their minds by a negative spirit of unbelief are not receptive to You and therefore they cannot witness the presence and power of a radical change in their life based on Your way of life. Such people flow with the current and norms of the world. However the choice is always ours to make.
I would like to end this chapter of the gospel of Matthew by praying especially for all the members of the Roman Catholic Church and even for those of other churches. The temptation oh Jesus for us who are familiar with Your Good News is that of either taking it for granted or not understanding it at all and thus we may not bear the desired fruit. I pray to You oh Jesus that once again You blow Your Holy Spirit on the Roman Catholic Church and other churches so that we will all be empowered in faith by Your Holy Spirit and be genuine witnesses of Your Kingdom. Amen.
I invite all who is praying on this chapter to join me in this prayer to the Holy Spirit of God:
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
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