Daily Readings - Thu Jul 21 2022
Jeremiah
1Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,2Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.3Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.7And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.8The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.12Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.13For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Matthew
10And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?11He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.12For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.13Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.14And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:15For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.16But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.17For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the relationship between God and his people, as well as the spiritual state of our own hearts. In the first reading from Jeremiah, we hear God’s lament over Israel’s infidelity. Once a people who followed God into the desert with fidelity, they have now turned away, defiling the land and forsaking the “Fountain of living water” for broken cisterns that cannot hold water. This passage is a call to repentance, urging us to recognize the emptiness of chasing after false idols and the richness of returning to the Lord, the source of all life.
In the Gospel, Jesus explains to his disciples why he speaks in parables. It is not to confuse or exclude, but to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom to those who are open to hearing. Jesus quotes Isaiah, emphasizing that some have hearts that have grown fat, ears that hear heavily, and eyes that are closed. These are people who have become spiritually dulled, unable to see or hear the truth even when it is right before them. Yet, Jesus assures the disciples that they are blessed because their eyes see and their ears hear. This is both a gift and a responsibility, for those who have been given much are called to steward it well.
These readings remind us that faith is not passive but active. Like the Israelites in Jeremiah’s time, we are tempted to turn away from God and seek comfort in fleeting, earthly things. But Jesus calls us to remain open, to keep our hearts soft and our spirits attentive. The parables are an invitation to deeper understanding, but they require us to engage with them, to seek the truth, and to live it out. Let us ask ourselves today: Are we like the disciples, blessed with eyes that see and ears that hear? Or have we allowed our hearts to grow dull, closing ourselves off to the grace and truth that God desires to pour into our lives? May we turn back to the Fountain of living water, seeking renewal and a deeper relationship with the Lord.