B
Big_Ro
Guest
So, I’m reading today’s Gospel reading in preperation for Mass later on and wass truck by a thought that had not occured to me before. I love the parables in general (who doesn’t) and this one has been very powerful for me. However, it struck me that this parable may be opoerating on an even deeper level. I doubt I’m having an original thought and would appreciate some brief responses or links to whatever Catholic Scholarship on the subject.
I understand that Jesus is fullfilling or rather pointing out how the reaction or effect of his ministry on the Jews of his time fullfilled scripture. However, it struck me that he might also be speaking about the Apostles themselves and their journey to become the first great evangelists. Further, he may also be speaking to an individuals journey to becoming an instrument for spreading the Word of God. And even further how he might be speaking to our own Church and how it has continued on its journey to evermore become the embodiment of the true word. Here’s what I mean.
Judas could very well fit in to a person that hears the word but fails to understand the gift sown in his heart and is taken away by the evil one. Peter and the other Apostles could easily fit in to those that hear the word but fall away when some persecution befalls them because of the word. Peter denied Chrsit three times the other apostles ran away for fear of prosecution while Jesus suffered on the cross. Their understanding of his true mission and intention is only made clear after he appears to them after resurrection. Then, they grow more fully in their conviction and go on to evangelize throught the Roman world and beyond yeilding thirty fold and far more.
The Church starts off as a small but committed band of true believers that spread the Word verbally. They begin writing letters and some memorialize the teachings of Peter in writing. They do not seem fully aware that they are founding a whole new religion and Church. I think it’s fair to say that they are not totally aware that their writings and the writings by Luke and Matthew , Mark, and John will become the Gospel as we know it today. Was Paul fully aware that his communications with his fellow adherents would form a large part of our scripture today? I’m sure there were many that heard the Word preached to them by Peter, Paul and all the other apostles but fell away because they failed to understand and were stolen away by the evil one or who fell away for fear of persecution by the Jews or Roman authorities. Yet, the Church continued to grow and develop an ever deeper and fuller understanding of Christ and the meaning and intent of his mission. From this process, grew the Catholic Church whose devotion and dedication to the Word has yielded a thousand times thirty times a thousand fold I’m sure.
As individuals, we too can hear the word and fail to understand what has been sown in our hearts. We may be given over to sin and debauchery. But, we can return to the Word and once again travel on a road to righteousness, but the trials and tribulations that persecute us in the world may cause us to fall away. This does not preclude that we can still come back and still acheive a level of understanding that redeems us and makes such an example for the world that we yeild more members for the flock.
Just a thought.
I understand that Jesus is fullfilling or rather pointing out how the reaction or effect of his ministry on the Jews of his time fullfilled scripture. However, it struck me that he might also be speaking about the Apostles themselves and their journey to become the first great evangelists. Further, he may also be speaking to an individuals journey to becoming an instrument for spreading the Word of God. And even further how he might be speaking to our own Church and how it has continued on its journey to evermore become the embodiment of the true word. Here’s what I mean.
Judas could very well fit in to a person that hears the word but fails to understand the gift sown in his heart and is taken away by the evil one. Peter and the other Apostles could easily fit in to those that hear the word but fall away when some persecution befalls them because of the word. Peter denied Chrsit three times the other apostles ran away for fear of prosecution while Jesus suffered on the cross. Their understanding of his true mission and intention is only made clear after he appears to them after resurrection. Then, they grow more fully in their conviction and go on to evangelize throught the Roman world and beyond yeilding thirty fold and far more.
The Church starts off as a small but committed band of true believers that spread the Word verbally. They begin writing letters and some memorialize the teachings of Peter in writing. They do not seem fully aware that they are founding a whole new religion and Church. I think it’s fair to say that they are not totally aware that their writings and the writings by Luke and Matthew , Mark, and John will become the Gospel as we know it today. Was Paul fully aware that his communications with his fellow adherents would form a large part of our scripture today? I’m sure there were many that heard the Word preached to them by Peter, Paul and all the other apostles but fell away because they failed to understand and were stolen away by the evil one or who fell away for fear of persecution by the Jews or Roman authorities. Yet, the Church continued to grow and develop an ever deeper and fuller understanding of Christ and the meaning and intent of his mission. From this process, grew the Catholic Church whose devotion and dedication to the Word has yielded a thousand times thirty times a thousand fold I’m sure.
As individuals, we too can hear the word and fail to understand what has been sown in our hearts. We may be given over to sin and debauchery. But, we can return to the Word and once again travel on a road to righteousness, but the trials and tribulations that persecute us in the world may cause us to fall away. This does not preclude that we can still come back and still acheive a level of understanding that redeems us and makes such an example for the world that we yeild more members for the flock.
Just a thought.