16th Week in Ord. Time, Wednesday – 21st July 2021 — Gospel: Mt 13,1-9
Comprehensive Testing
Jesus ended his parable saying, “he who has ears to hear, let him hear.” It is a solemn exhortation, implying that it was every man’s duty to pay attention to what was spoken. It is a familiar formula in the schools of the Rabbis, when they were testing the cleverness or progress of their scholars. Probably this parabolic teaching required more than ordinary powers of thought to comprehend the implied spiritual truth. It is not only a call to understand the parable, but is in itself a summary of the chief lesson of the parable (Mt 11,5; 13,43; Mk 4,9.23; Lk 8,8; 14,35; Rev 2,7.11; 3,6.13). It is not an external hearing only, but a stir up of an internal desire to understand what was said. The sense of hearing cannot be better employed than in hearing God’s word. Jesus was reminding his followers that all are capable of receiving his word, but perhaps some do not permit it. True listening requires the right disposition, which is an inspiration of the spirit that helps us to use our freedom to obey the voice of God. Like Elijah, one must be ready to hear God’s voice that comes as a soft breeze or whisper. The tuned listener must be willing to root the distractions that create thorns and rocky soil, so as to truly receive the Lord, who is ready and willing to speak to our hearts.
