On the Sayings of the Scripture
Isaiah 55:10-11
Matthew 13:18-23
I will be very interested to see how Sparky handles these readings today. The long version of the Gospel includes a very uncomfortable passage, partially quoted above, which reminds us that our grasp of the Gospel may be tenuous at best.
As a latent Universalist this passage reminds me that universalism may not have been the position of Jesus or the earliest followers of the Way. The passage from Isaiah suggests that what God starts God finishes, according to his design. Can it be his design that his word should fall on rocky, weedy ground and die?
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Matthew 13:18-23
'Hear then the parable of the sower. 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. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 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. 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. 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.'
I will be very interested to see how Sparky handles these readings today. The long version of the Gospel includes a very uncomfortable passage, partially quoted above, which reminds us that our grasp of the Gospel may be tenuous at best.
As a latent Universalist this passage reminds me that universalism may not have been the position of Jesus or the earliest followers of the Way. The passage from Isaiah suggests that what God starts God finishes, according to his design. Can it be his design that his word should fall on rocky, weedy ground and die?
Ok! Well the evening Mass wasn't taken by Sparky, but by our new Priest, a new priest, Charlie Donohough -- I'll check on the spelling later.
He made a truely valient effort with the Gospel. He chose the short form. He spent his homily answering the disciples question of Jesus, Say what?
He spoke of soils, and the sort of things that grow naturally in those soils, and the good for others that those things are.
He tried to underply the GOOD of the good soil. Not to reaffirm the almost immediate good soil bad soil dichotomy that even 7th graders are swift to discern.
Charlie asked, if God's grace is like the seed, which He scatters everywhere and not just where He knows it will grow, what do we need from Him, ourselves, and eachother, to become the sort of soil where his grace will flourish.
I said it was a valiant effort!
God scatters His grace everywhere. Where will it flourish?
The Gospel is meant to challenge us as well as to support us, and I am challenged.
He made a truely valient effort with the Gospel. He chose the short form. He spent his homily answering the disciples question of Jesus, Say what?
He spoke of soils, and the sort of things that grow naturally in those soils, and the good for others that those things are.
He tried to underply the GOOD of the good soil. Not to reaffirm the almost immediate good soil bad soil dichotomy that even 7th graders are swift to discern.
Charlie asked, if God's grace is like the seed, which He scatters everywhere and not just where He knows it will grow, what do we need from Him, ourselves, and eachother, to become the sort of soil where his grace will flourish.
I said it was a valiant effort!
God scatters His grace everywhere. Where will it flourish?
The Gospel is meant to challenge us as well as to support us, and I am challenged.
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