Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the Evil One, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
Introductory Prayer: Lord, thank you for this new day. I believe that you are present in my heart. I believe that you want to give me your wisdom to live this life fruitfully. I trust that your mercy will protect me as I struggle against evil. I love you because you have overcome evil by your cross and resurrection. I want to live this moment of prayer as an intense moment to be transformed by you.
Petition: Lord, help me to look forward to your triumph with hope.
He is Watching Us: The difference between good and evil is not lost for God. He knows the struggles we have to live goodness in this world that is often so impregnated with evil. He assures us that he sees the good that is done and will give recompense for it. I should strive to live each day knowing that I am seen by God and consistently try to sow goodness in my life.
The Limit of Evil: When sometimes it seems like evil can triumph in the world, we need to recognize that God has the last say over evil. He mysteriously allows evil to exist so that good can become purified. There will be a moment when evil will be judged and will no longer have power over our lives. If we have sowed goodness with our lives and if we are living in God’s grace, he will free us from the domain of evil forever. Let us build up our confidence in the coming of his kingdom. Let us use the struggle against evil as a way to show the sincerity of our love.
We Reap What We Sow: The assurance of Christ that there will be a final judgment gives Christians both soberness and joy in living their lives. We know our efforts are not in vain. We realize that this life is the short opportunity the Father gives us to do good and prepare for our great destiny with him. When I am tempted to lose patience in the fight, I must remember that the struggles will soon be over, and God will more than recompense for the sacrifices I have made in following his will and promoting goodness in the world.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, I believe that you are in charge of my life. I renew my trust in the triumph of your holiness in my life. When I feel the pull of evil in my heart, I will remember that this life is short and that my struggle is precious in your eyes. Help me to keep my eyes on the happiness you are preparing for me.
Resolution: I will speak about the joy of receiving the sacrament of reconciliation with someone I meet today, planting in that person’s heart the seed of the desire to receive this sacrament.
WITH the Aquinos’ Yellow Cultists losing control of media that was their biggest strength in the past regime, they have turned to the financially troubled, foreign-funded news website Rappler as their main propaganda venue. If Rappler would be true to itself, it should change the orange color of its logo to yellow.
Sources in the business community claim that at least two old oligarchic clans that were close to former President Benigno Aquino 3rd are now either the biggest funder, or in fact the largest stockholders, of Rappler.
Its original biggest shareholder, property tycoon Benjamin Bitanga, gave up on the controversial media firm in in 2016, exasperated over the reckless anti-Duterte reportage of the media outfit he couldn’t control.
On the other hand, Rappler’s two American funders, North Base Media and Omidyar Network, which had put in P150 million from 2015 to 2016, won’t touch the firm now with a ten-foot pole, as they are irate that they were misinformed on the legal issues their funding would encounter, which involves the constitutional ban on foreign participation in any form in Philippine media.
Rappler’s financial requirements since its start in 2012 have gone way beyond those needed by an ordinary news outfit, as it has relied on expensive technology and internet experts, rather than solid reportage (its staff is composed mostly of straight-from-college reporters supervised by Yellow editors), to carve out a presence in the world wide web. It has for example been able to use expensive internet software so that its articles would be ranked high in Google search listings—even if these posts aren’t really viewed much—and for the website to appear to have a bigger viewership.
New stockholders’ board directors: Monsod and Factoran
Two Coryistas
The allegation that the Yellows have moved into Rappler is bolstered by the fact that last March, Bitanga’s representatives in the board were removed. Among the new board members are two who are not only of the Yellow Cult but are staunch “Coryistas”:
Solita Monsod, the late former President Corazon Aquino’s economic planning secretary (who writes a vociferous anti-Duterte column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer). Monsod’s husband Christian has been a director of several companies controlled by the Eugenio Lopez elite clan;
Fulgencio Factoran, Jr., who served as Cory’s environment and natural resources secretary, was for nearly a decade a director of the Cojuangco-Aquino clan’s Central Azucarera de Tarlac. A human-rights lawyer during the late stages of the Marcos era , “Jun” Factoran appears to have successfully parlayed his experience as environment secretary into directorships in mining firms such as Atlas Consolidated Mining and Nickel Asia for many years now. His curriculum vitae posted at Rappler’s website, however, reports him as director of firms controlled by the country’s richest billionaire Henry Sy—Belle Corp. and Banco de Oro Leasing & Finance. While Factoran has become rich, reported among the top 500 taxpayers for 2013, I don’t think he has the kind of money to burn as an investment in Rappler.
Another new board member is lawyer Federico Prieto. I was told however that is not related to the Prieto clan that controls the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
What is strange about Rappler’s new board is the appointment of one Carlo Almendral, a technology entrepreneur whose work has been entirely in San Francisco. Almendral should disclose if he is a Filipino citizen, as no foreigner is allowed by the Constitution to be in the board of a media firm. He should also disclose if he has been close to the Lopez clan, which spent most of the martial law years in San Francisco.
Media firms have a higher standard of disclosure since, unlike ordinary firms, they disseminate information and are therefore in a strategic position to affect public opinion. The very false notion in the US and in the world that because of Duterte’s anti-drug war, “tens of thousands have been murdered” was started way back by Rappler in a September 2016 report, which cleverly distorted government data to claim that that at the time there were already 7,000 “extrajudicial killings. (See my 2017 column, “How Rappler misled EU, Human Rights Watch, CNN, Time, BBC—the world”.)
Who nominated them?
Rappler hasn’t disclosed which of its new stockholders had nominated Monsod and Factoran, as well as the other new board members. Rappler must disclose this. Its readers are entitled to information that would enable them to judge whether its reports are biased or not, whether it is a Yellow propaganda machine or not.
Rappler’s Yellow investors, and especially Factoran’s law firm, would have their work cut out for them not just in terms of funding in order to keep it afloat but more importantly to solve its problems with the law.
The Securities and Exchange Commission early this year ruled that Omidyar Network’s P100 million funding of Rappler violated the constitutional ban on foreign participation in Philippine media, a decision the Court of Appeals affirmed on July 26.
Rappler has tried to wriggle out of this violation by claiming that the Omidyar Network would give up its money anyway and instead donate its shares (disguised as Philippine Depositary Receipts, or PDRs)—valued at $1 million (P80 million)—to its 14 managers.
Rappler thinks the Court of Appeals, the SEC, and us are all stupid.
No matter how well-funded it is by eBay founder Pierre Omdiyar, Omidyar Network is corporation with a board of directors. Will that board simply agree that it’s $1 million investment goes down the drain? Strangely there is posted in Omidyar’s website a reference to an announcement entitled “Omidyar Network Donates Philippine Depositary Receipts to Rappler Staff.” There’s no such announcement though that could be accessed. Or did a Yellow funder simply reimburse Omidyar’s $1 million investment?
Rappler hasn’t presented the actual documents attesting to Omidyar’s donation of its shares, nor how exactly this will be done. Omidyar probably thinks the Philippines is some backward country, whose legal system can be skirted with a mere press announcement. The Court of Appeals directed the SEC to investigate whether Omidyar Network in fact donated its shares to Rappler’s managers.
Huge headache
Instead of a boon, Rappler would be giving its 14 managers who would receive Omidyar’s donation a huge headache.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue in March already charged the firm with a tax evasion charge, claiming that it issued and sold P181.67 million worth of Philippine Depositary Receipts to the American firms but failed to pay income and value-added taxes for the transaction. The BIR claimed that Rappler’s tax liability amounted to P134 million, which the media outfit had not paid, and had not even reported.
On top of that tax case would be that to be slapped on the 14 managers who would receive the “donation.” Whatever Omidyar calls it, the “donation” would be treated as extraordinary income of the 14 managers under Philippine tax laws, and would each have a revenue —even a paper one—for the year it is made, of P4 million.
Would the managers be willing to pay the P1 million in taxes due on that income, especially as they would really be receiving not a single centavo as the proceeds of those PDRs has already been used up for Rappler’s operations in the past two years?
The Yellows’ move into Rappler and consequently into cyber media is strategic. Traditional media has fast been losing ground in terms of influencing public opinion to internet-based media and social media, especially since these are accessible almost freely, compared for example to the P600 monthly subscription for just a single newspaper. One factor for the defeat of the Yellows’ presidential candidate Mar Roxas to Duterte in the 2016 elections was the latter’s focus on social media, as the Yellows had a tight control of newspapers and broadcast media. Apparently the Yellows’ war cry now is, as Rappler’s editor in chief arrogantly put it two years ago, “Time to take back the internet.”
Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds. “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.” He spoke to them another parable. “The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened.” All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He spoke to them only in parables, to fulfill what had been said through the prophet: I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I come into your presence seeking to know you better. I believe that you take the lead in seeking me. You want me to find you. I trust that in your mercy you will bring me to intimacy with you. I open my heart today to receive your friendship.
Petition: Lord, teach me to long for your Kingdom and your holiness.
Quietly Becoming Strong: The Kingdom of Christ is not a very visible and flashy organization in the world. It is above all a spiritual force. It works quietly yet powerfully in the hearts of those who receive it. By living faith, hope and charity, Christians discover that the generous response to the voice of Christ in their consciences builds a life that has strength and substance. Living the Christian faith makes a person strong in the midst of difficulties and even able to sustain others in their life’s journey. Am I allowing the Kingdom to grow in my heart in such a way that I can quietly sustain others by my values and my charity?
Hidden Expansion: As we allow Christ to reign in our hearts more each day, we find that his influence affects not only our internal attitudes but also the people around us. This world becomes more of a caring, compassionate place. Truth is sown. People are reminded of God’s presence and love. This world becomes more a place where others can find God. It is a quiet transformation of the world, but relentless, like the rising of the dough through the action of yeast. Am I constant in allowing the values of the Kingdom to transform the way I deal with others? Do I have confidence in the transforming power of the Gospel?
Revealing Secrets: By speaking in in parables Christ helps us understand that God’s kingdom is real and accessible. God has a plan to reign in our hearts, and the fulfillment of this plan is within our reach through his grace. The secret to fruitfulness in our lives lies in our openness and cooperation with God’s grace. It is within our grasp if we would exercise our faith. Christ has come to open our horizons to God’s grace. Are we showing our thankfulness by doing his will?
Conversation with Christ: Lord, I believe in your kingdom. I know that it continues to grow by the power of your grace. Help me to work with confidence today, knowing that by sowing with faith, hope and love, I am allowing you to do great things in the world around me.
Resolution: Today I will speak of God’s goodness explicitly with someone whom I meet.
Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little bit.” One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” So, they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe that you, the Holy Trinity, dwell in my soul. Thank you for the joy of your friendship and love. I hope in you; I hope that you will guide me and my loved ones home to heaven, where we can delight in your presence forever. I love you and long to be a better instrument of your love.
Petition: Lord, help me to achieve an unconditional trust in you.
A Test to Get Us to Grow in Trust: It was clear that Jesus’ disciples did not have the means to help these people out of their predicament — neither in ready available cash nor in locating a nearby market large enough to feed the overburdening crowd. Yet Scripture says, “He said this to test him.” Let this passage remind us that God can allow our problems to become so big and desperate as to show forth his power. God wants us to trust in him and to purify our intentions along our journey of faith. How great our Lord is in solving the unsolvable and making possible the impossible. He cures the incurable, raises people from the dead, and, most importantly, converts the erring sinner. “Nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:38). Do I easily give up hope when I don’t see a human solution to a situation? Blessed is he who believes that what the Lord promises will be fulfilled (Cf. Luke 1:46).
Our Lord Wants Us to Play a Part in His Miracle: God has the power of creating something out of nothing, but he asks for human collaboration, even if it is minimal. Here it is no different. The apostles are utterly poor: they can bring to Our Lord only five loaves and two fish from a boy they find in the crowd. Jesus asks us to contribute because he wants to teach us to be generous, even when we think we have nothing to give. Actually, it is when we give from our want that we most please Our Lord (Cf. Luke 21:1-4). Poverty is never an excuse for a lack of generosity in serving and working for Our Lord. This miracle proves to us that Our Lord can never be outdone in generosity.
Don’t Miss the Point: In this scene Our Lord slowly prepared his apostles and disciples for his teaching on the Real Presence in the Eucharist. He had to purify their hearts and prune out attachment to the things of this world in order for them to accept the difficult teaching about his self-giving love found in the Eucharist. Even so, when he saw that the people were about to miss the point of his miracle, Our Lord “withdrew again to the mountain alone” (John 6:15). Sometimes Our Lord withdraws the comfort and consolation of his presence in our lives because we wrongly interpret their meaning and purpose. Do I properly discern the spirit in my heart when I pray? Am I happy only for things that gives me comfort, or am I truly coming closer to Christ because I recognize who he is and return to him the same authentic love he gives me and wants from me?
Conversation with Christ: Thank you, Lord, for this meditation and the lessons I learned from it. Keep me generous so I may never lose my trust in you. When the situations of my life seem unsolvable, help me to trust that in your time, you will work your wonders in my life, bringing glory to your name.
Resolution: I will make a visit to the Eucharist or a spiritual communion each day this week, offering this sacrifice of time for the conversion of the hearts of those who do not believe, do not adore, do not trust, or do not love you, Lord, in the Eucharist.
Jesus proposed another parable to them. “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. The slaves of the householder came to him and said, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.”‘
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe in your Church. I believe that it is the sacrament of salvation, and that you have chosen to lead me to heaven. Lord, I hope in you. I hope in you because you have gone to prepare a place for me in heaven. Lord, I love you because you loved me first. I love you for giving yourself up for me on the cross.
Petition: Forgive me, Lord, for offending you, and help me to make reparation.
Verdant Farm or Barren Wasteland? Lord, you have given me the gift of Baptism and of being your child. “Baptism is God’s most beautiful and magnificent gift” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1216). This gift you have given me is something that I do not deserve. I was born with original sin, and yet, out of your infinite goodness and mercy, you have chosen to nourish my barren field and offer me the Kingdom of heaven. Through the life-giving waters of the sacrament of Baptism, you have taken my field that used to be wasteland and desert and have made it flourish. You have sown wheat in my field so that it may yield abundant fruit.
A Tainted Field? Lord, even though you have grafted me into your family through Baptism, there are times when I forget the goal of my life, which is heaven. I am weak, and because of my weakness, at times I taint my field with weeds. “Certain temporal consequences of sin remain in the baptized, such as suffering, illness, death, and such frailties inherent in life as weaknesses of character, and so on, as well as an inclination to sin that Tradition calls concupiscence, or metaphorically, ‘the tinder for sin’ (fomes peccati); since concupiscence ‘is left for us to wrestle with, it cannot harm those who do not consent but manfully resist it by the grace of Jesus Christ.’ Indeed, ‘an athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1264).
God Never Gives Up On Me: Lord, even though I have let weeds grow in my field where there was once only wheat, you have given me time to let the good grain grow. You know that all is not lost. There is still hope, and there is still time. Even though I have offended you because of my sins, and even though I have not conquered myself and my tendency to sin, I still experience your love and your mercy. You have not given up on me, although it seems to me that I have often given up on myself. You have given me the gift of time for me to weed my field and to increase the good wheat that is within it, so that the harvest I bear may be fruitful and rich.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, thank you for the gift of your mercy. Thank you for being patient with me, for loving me for who I am, and for encouraging me to continue to grow as I should.
Resolution: I shall take some time to prepare to make a good confession.
Jesus said to his disciples: “Hear then the parable of the sower. The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the Kingdom without understanding it, and the Evil One comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirty-fold.”
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe in your Incarnation. You became flesh for love of us. You were not forced to leave the bliss and glory of heaven. You chose to leave in order to save us. I believe in you. I hope in you. I love you. You took the first step of love toward me. I want to respond in kind.
Petition: Grant me the grace to follow you with conviction and willpower.
Sheltering the Word in My Heart: Our Lord often speaks of the enemy of God, the devil, as a real being, who has real influence over our lives. When we hear the Word of God, good intentions grow within us. The Evil One attempts to “steal” these intentions away from our heart. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that the devil and demons made a radical and irrevocable free choice to reject God and his reign (no. 392). The devil tries to uproot our good resolutions with the same goal in mind. We must make a firm commitment to allow God’s word to take root and grow in our lives.
Convictions over Emotions: The seed sown on rocky ground represents those who receive the word with joy at first, in other words, those easily governed by emotions and sentiments. When they feel joy, they respond to God positively. When they receive comforts from Christ, they are ready to follow him. But when their moods are bad or gloomy, they leave aside their previous resolutions and abandon the Lord for the wide and spacious road of ease and comforts. They are not seeking Christ but rather their own consolation. Above all they want warm, cozy feelings. Christ shows us the way of true loyalty and love by his crucifixion and death on the cross for love of his Father and souls.
Oxygen for the Soul: One of the saddest categories of people in the Parable of the Sower are those who receive the word but allow “worldly anxiety and the lure of riches” to “choke the word” so that it “bears no fruit” in their lives. Materialism is an all-pervasive temptation in our world today. The only way to conquer this assault on our faith is to make the firm resolution to make time for God. We must make the proactive decision to insert moments for him in our day. Prayer, the sacraments (Mass, confession), spiritual reading and the Rosary are examples of ways to do this.
Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, in my mind you are my first priority. In reality, though, I allow other priorities to topple your rightful position in my life. I allow my feelings to govern my actions instead of my faith and convictions. Strengthen my resolve to make you the True King of my heart in my concrete choices and decisions.
Resolution: I will go over my daily and weekly schedule and, if necessary, make more quality time for the Lord.
WHILE the Social Weather Stations downplayed this particular survey’s results, and didn’t even issue its usual press release on it, its December 2017 poll found substantial support for a revolutionary government, if ever President Duterte were to declare one.
Asked whether they would “agree or “disagree” in case Duterte proclaims a revolutionary government, 31 percent of the SWS respondents replied in the affirmative, while 39 percent disagreed. Significant is the fact that 30 percent responded that they were undecided.
The 8 percentage points difference is small, and could be easily closed, if one considers that in a revolutionary government, the state would monopolize media, so that it would likely be able to convince much of that 30 percent undecided to support the revolutionary government.
In Mindanao, the SWS poll showed, more respondents — 38 percent — would support a revolutionary government, compared to the 21 percent who wouldn’t. Is that because Mindanao has been under martial law for a year, with almost no one protesting against it, and with peace and order there improving?
More Filipinos in fact, based on the SWS poll, would support a revolutionary government rather than a move to amend the Constitution. The June survey of Pulse Asia showed that only 18 percent of respondents think that the Constitution should be amended.
This mirrors the SWS findings in several polls since 1997 that there has been little support for changing the Charter. This is probably because it had been exposed in 1997 as a scheme of President Fidel Ramos — Cory Aquino’s anointed — to run for a second term.
Opposition to changing the Charter has also been recently strengthened because the Yellows have been actively campaigning against it, feeling paranoid that Duterte like Ramos would amend it so he could run for another term.
The 18 percent of respondents supporting Charter change is nearly half of the 31 percent supporting the establishment of a revolutionary government.
That most Filipinos support Duterte’s establishment of a revolutionary government is indicated by the results of two questions the SWS posed in its December 2017 survey.
First, it asked respondents “if it is possible to have a revolutionary government under the current Constitution.” The SWS question was strange, since a “revolutionary government” by definition junks the existing Constitution, which is why it is called “revolutionary.”
Still, what the SWS in effect asked its respondents is whether Duterte’s declaration of a revolutionary government is constitutional or not. Nearly half — 48 percent — replied that it is “possible to have a revolutionary government under the present Philippine Constitution.” Only 27 percent said it is not possible.
The implication is that nearly half of all Filipinos (i.e., assuming SWS sampling is scientific) think there would be nothing wrong with Duterte/s declaring a revolutionary government since it is constitutional.
Second, the SWS asked respondents “whether President Duterte has a plan to change the present government into a new government that he likes.” An overwhelming 63 percent replied that he does have such a plan and only 18 percent think he doesn’t
Couple that with finding the recent poll results that 65 percent of Filipinos (SWS, June 2018) are satisfied with his performance and 87 percent (Pulse Asia) have a “big trust” in him, and a logical conclusion is that most Filipinos trust his plan to change government to one he likes.
Duterte won’t have to look far for a model for a revolutionary government. The Thai military in May 2014 ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and set up a revolutionary government it called the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). This military junta was chaired by the Royal Thai Army’s commander in chief Prayut Chan-o-cha, appointed Prime Minister by the council, to give it a semblance of normalcy. The NCPO drafted a new constitution and promulgated it in 2017, which called for a transition to electoral democracy.
Prayut announced in March that elections would be held in February next year, the sixth-promised polling date. The US and the West of course condemned the 2014coup and demanded that the junta immediately restore electoral democracy. President Trump in October 2017 warmly welcomed Prime Minister Prayut to the White House in his official visit there.
I bet very few people here know that Thailand has been under a revolutionary government since 2014. Thailand’s GDP per capita has continued to grow since 2014, and stands at $6,126, measured in in 2010 US dollars. Ours is about half of that, $2,891.
Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary
[Matthew 13:10-17]
The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You shall indeed hear but not understand you shall indeed look but never see. Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and be converted, and I heal them. “But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to 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.”
Introductory Prayer: Lord, my prayer will “work” only if I have humility in your presence. So, I am approaching you with meekness and humility of heart. I have an infinite need for you and your grace. Thinking about this helps me grow in humility. I trust in you and your grace. Thank you for the unfathomable gift of your love.
Petition: Increase my faith, hope and love, Lord.
Faith, Hope and Love Remain: What does the Lord mean when he says that “to anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich” or that “from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away”? He is referring to spiritual goods rather than material ones. Grace, faith, hope and love are all spiritual goods. To anyone who has them, more will be given. When you exercise your faith, your hope and your love, they increase in your soul. The result? You grow rich in grace. When you do not exercise your faith, hope and love, you lose all because the material world is passing away. As St Paul teaches us, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption” (1 Corinthians 15:80). And in another passage: “So faith, hope and love remain” (1 Corinthians 13:13).
Seeing with New Eyes: “You shall indeed hear but not understand; you shall indeed look but never see.” We can view the world in a natural way or in a supernatural way. Faith, hope and love allow us to view the world supernaturally. A natural way of seeing things limits us in a thousand ways, because the natural universe is limited, passing and temporary. The supernatural world seen through faith is unlimited, coming to fulfillment and lasting forever. Without faith we will hear but not understand, look intently but never see.
A Fighting Heart: Only when we fight to imitate Christ do we truly understand these words: “Blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.” This may be hard to understand, but it is so. To know Jesus, it is necessary to be like him. The moment we begin to fight for love of him we begin to be like him, and thus we begin to know him. To have a heart like Jesus’ it is necessary to fight and suffer – to fight and suffer without cowardice, without taking time out and without discouragement.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, grant me the grace to fight with a spirit of faith, hope and love. I want to increase in these virtues and begin to see the world with your eyes – the eyes of the new man or woman in Christ. With you my future is always brighter than my past, filled with more hope and greater promise.
Resolution: Today, I will strive to see persons, actions and events from the viewpoint of faith.
