16th Week in Ordinary Time : Thursday 24th July 2025

Now and again, it is not uncommon to hear people say Scripture is too ancient to be understood. But take heart, Jesus’ answer to His disciples’ question, “Why do You talk to the crowds in parables?’’ (Mt 13:10), gives us some insights. He said, “The reason I talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding’’ (v 13). This reiterates Isaiah’s frustration of the people’s attitude during his time (Is 6:9), somehow their religious sense becomes calloused to their real needs; so much so that they avoided “seeing’’ what God wanted them to “see’’, and “hearing’’ what God wanted them to “hear’’.

The disciples knew the words were meant for them – those who love the Lord keep His Word (Jn 14:23). When the Lord addresses us, His intention is wholly on us. Whereas for the crowds, “their ears are full of hearing, and they have shut their eyes for fear they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and be converted and be healed by Me’’ (Mt 13:15). These are people who threw the words in the wind or treated the words as meant for others and irrelevant for them. They fail to see the word of the Lord as a mirror.

Therefore, let us never exclude ourselves from “seeing’’ and “hearing’’ Jesus’ teaching!

Lord, bless us with eyes that see and ears that hear so as to be converted and be healed by You.