St Matthew, Chapter 13, verses: 10 - 11, The Mysteries are given.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The disciples ask why He speaks in parables) Part 1. 

Christ is teaching in parables.  He does not teach directly to the people now, but only in stories that entertain some, has meaning to others, is lost for still more, and is babble to those who are of the devil.  For Christ knows that some will perceive and some will not.  He knows that some are lost, some are withered, and some are chocked.  This is why he preaches in parables.  The disciples are puzzled.  They do not understand why he has changed and they come to ask,
''Why dost thou speak to them in parables?''

The disciples want to know why he does not preach directly to the people.  They want to know why the change.  They want to know what has happened that Christ does not talk directly to the people.  And Christ answers them, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given."  

And now they know why he preaches in parables.  Now they understand the why of the change.  Now they see the given that they have and the given that the others do not have.  For mysteries have been revealed to them.  Knowledge of the kingdom has been given.  Understanding of the truth is theirs.  But for the others it is not given.  For the others it is not understood.  For the others the mysteries are not revealed to open their eyes.  For the evil one still operates in their lives and he is present in the lives of those who do not see.  He is present in the hearing of those who do not understand.  He overshadows those who do not have the light of Christ before them.  And now the disciples understand.

Do you understand today?  Are you given that you may understand the mysteries?  Or do you just repeat the words without the truth of their meaning.  Some would add their own meaning so that they have their own understanding.  And that which they thought they had is taken away because they do not have.  Christ is the giver.  Do you have?  Has he given you?  Do you now know what is given?  Come receive the given that you may know the mysteries of the kingdom.  Come, receive that you may understand.  Come, Christ is the giver.  Have you received?

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verses: 7 - 9, Seeds with the thorns and Seeds in the good ground.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the sower) Part 2. 

Christ sat on the shore and communed with the father.  And the people came to him in crowds.  Overwhelmed with their needs, he got into the boat.  He began to preach but this time he spoke in parables.  This time he did not teach directly to the people.  He changed how he taught.  He brought something different.  He spoke not to them but through them.  He spoke to those who had ears to hear.  For many had come to see.  Many had to come to hear.  Many had come to be entertained.  And so they were, for he spoke no more except in parables.  So that those who had would understand and those who had not, would not understand and that which they had would be taken away.

Christ continued to talk about the sower.  Many have heard to story.  It has been preached throughout the land by each and every preacher, pastor, deacon, lay person, priest, and commoner.   Many use the story as a platform for raising funds.  Sow your seed money and you will be rewarded with a great reward.  Is this the meaning of the passage.  Christ tells the story:
"And other seeds fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked them.  And other seeds fell upon good ground and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold."    

So the sower continues to sow his seeds.  He first sowed by the wayside and the birds came and ate the seed.  Then some fell on rocky ground and they had shallow roots.  So they  withered and died when the sun scorched them in the heat of the day.  Now some fall among the thorns and some on good ground.  And the fruit comes forth in bounty.  Some fruit comes a hundred fold, some sixty, and some thirty.  So what are we talking about.  Christ spoke in parables.  He entertained the people and filled the spirit of those who heard his message.  For there were many who came to be entertained.  There were many who did not believe.  There were many who did not understand.  And Christ said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  

The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are given but few receive it.  Few understand what they are given.  And few come to know the true value of the mysteries of the kingdom.  But for those who have ears to hear, great is their joy and overflowing is their peace.  Do you have ears to hear the message of Christ?  For he is sowing the seed.  Do not let your seed be scorched.  Do not let your seed be eaten by the birds of  darkness.  Do  not let your seed be chocked by the thorns of this world.  It is a precious gift, the seed.  Nurture it.  Treasure it.  Water it.  Keep the weeds out.  The mysteries of the kingdom await your discovery.  Can you hear them?  Can you understand?  Will you open your heart to the Holy Spirit to come in?  The treasures of heaven await your discovery.  Seek not the riches of this world.  For they are but dirt compared to the riches of heaven.  But first you must seek them.  You must desire them.  You must want to know them before they will come to you.  For those who seek will find.  Those who knock it will be opened to them.  And those who ask it will be given to them.

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verses: 1 - 6, The Seed: by the wayside and on rocky ground.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the sower) Part 1. 

We begin a new Chapter of the gospel as told by St Matthew.  Christ has instructed the people in their heavenly family ties.  He took the opportunity to show the crowd that we are all one family, those who do the will of God.  It does not matter that we are naturally brothers or sisters or mothers or fathers.  In God's family we are all one, we are all brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers because we do God's will here on earth. 

Christ retired after giving this lesson and went to the beach.  He sat on the shore watching the waves come and go until the crowds surrounded him and there was no room or place for peace and contemplation.  St Matthew tells us that Christ got into a boat and began to preach.  He did something different this time.  Instead of instructing the people directly he taught in parables.  He told stories.  He gave instructions in messages that the crowd enjoyed but did not understand.  He spoke in parables.  

Most everyone has heard about the parable of the sower.  Christ tells it this way,  "Behold, the sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the birds came and ate them up.  And other seeds fell upon rocky ground, where they had not much earth; and they sprang up at once, because they had no depth of earth; but when the sun rose they were scorched, and because they withered away.    They had no root."

When I first read this parable I did not understand it.  It was just a story for me that had no meaning.  Even the explanation that is given, explaining about the evil one snatching away what was given, did not make much sense.  It was not until the spirit moved me and opened my eyes that I was able to see and understand how I was the one sown on rocky ground.  It hit me like a ton of bricks that my life could have been different, would have changed had I  had roots to anchor me in my spiritual life.  

I recall my high school years in the early sixties, 1961.  We had just moved from the downtown area, to a new subdivision of single family homes.  This was a step up for our family because we lived in rental property before and now we had a home to call our own.  This also meant new friends, new school, new church, and new environment.  There was no public school nearby to attend.  Private school was the only nearby school.  I am 13 going on 14 attending high school.  

I tell this to give some background into my roots.  The private school is Catholic and we had just come from a Baptist background.  So everything was new to me.  The entire Catholic experience was new and exciting.  Service was in Latin and it was inspiring to me to be a part of this new life.  I sought to learn all that I could about it and studied much.  The school was Catholic also and most of the students came from the Catholic elementary school.  I worked hard to fit in.  It was the need to be accepted that drove me and it was the new Catholic experience that inspired me. 

I became so involved in the church that I expressed interest in becoming a priest.  This stirred great excitement in the church and in the school.  The word, the seed, was planted within me but it had no root.  My intentions were expressed in my sophomore year, but by my senior year that seed had withered and my interest died.  I look back and think how different my life may have been had I had roots to carry me through to priesthood.  The support was not there, not at home nor in the school.  Sure I was moved up and my studies accelerated but I was left in the student body, subject to the whims and taunts of my fellow students. 

Trying to fit in had a tremendous impact on the forthcoming change of mind.  There was no one to relate to.  The priest were available.  The nuns were encouraging.  But there was no roots to sustain the new life that was trying to take hold.  I look back and think that if I were taken out of the student body and placed in another school especially designed for those of my age who expressed intent for the priesthood, maybe my roots would have grown.  If I were given special nurturing, maybe my roots would have spread.  If I were set aside and taken out of the rocky ground, I would have had a chance to blossom to yield fruit at an earlier age.  When the spirit opened my eyes, the thoughts of these experiences flooded me with emotions that brought forth tears.  I had no roots and they did not grow, and when the sun came, I withered and died.

Today my roots are in Christ, solidly planted in his words, and the Holy Spirit guides me.  Roots are essential to new life.  Christ is our earth.  He is our soil.  He is our nourishment that allows our roots to grow and flourish.  Do you have roots in Christ?  Are you sure of your nourishment?  What soil are you grown in?  The evil one awaits, to snatch away your seed.