Readings: Jer. 2:1-3,7-8,12-13, Ps. 36:6-11, Matthew 13:10-17
“To you, it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them, it has not been given.” (Matthew 13:11)
The ability to understand God’s word is a gift. Jesus said to the twelve: “To you, it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them, it has not been given…. blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 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.”
In other words, many read the bible but are not able to perceive the secrets it contains. I recall one of my teachers back then in the Seminary who taught us Scriptures. She told us that the Bible should always be read kneeling. The meaning of this is that we should never read the Bible just like any other piece of literature. We must first ask God to open our hearts before we begin to flip through the pages of the Bible. That way, the meaning becomes clear to us. We see things that others cannot see, and we hear things that others will never hear.
A divine revelation of God came to Jeremiah in our first reading today, to preach to the people in a way they had not heard before. Jeremiah’s words were a total reproach to the entire nation of Israel. He seemed to capture every one of their sins. From the least person up to the leaders, the priests, those in the custody of the law, and the rulers, Jeremiah fearlessly delivered the word, telling them how they had all abandoned God, the fountain of living waters, and had tried to create cisterns for themselves; broken cisterns in that manner.
There were so many holy people at the time of Jeremiah. The scripture did not change. It was studied every day by the lawyers and the Scribes at the temple. It was the same scripture that the priests were using, but it took Jeremiah to tell Israel as a nation that they were going off track. The Bible is like a picture; so many people are looking at it, but only very few see it.
Let us pray: Show favour, O Lord, to your servants and mercifully increase the gifts of your grace, that, made fervent in hope, faith and charity, they may be ever watchful in keeping your commands. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Thursday of week 16 in Ordinary Time. Liturgical Colour: Green. Bible Study: Jer. 2:1-3,7-8,12-13, Ps. 36:6-11, Matthew 13:10-17)
@Rev. Fr. Evaristus E. Abu