USCCB video reflections on the Daily Readings

[Palatinus]

For July 16, 2017, the parable of the sower is was the Gospel reading. The video reflection on the USCCB website stated that the explanation that Jesus gave about the meaning of the seeds and the different grounds was probably added by the early Church. Added? Am I wrong to think that the early Church wasn’t adding and attributing things to Jesus? Isn’t the Gospel the most sacred of all scripture? I guess I was just disturbed to hear that dropped in, which seems to call into question whether Jesus really did say what is in the Gospel or was just later “added”. I wish that the bishops themselves would give the daily reflection instead if this is what we get otherwise.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

We can be pretty sure, I think, that the gospels didn’t always record Jesus verbatim (after all, he wasn’t dictating and there were no recording devices, plus several years passed before most of the gospels were written down). However, we can be assured that what was captured in writing, regardless of source, is an accurate and Spirit-inspired reflection of the message of Jesus; the authors were divinely guided to get the writing correct. Furthermore, this is why Christ instituted the magisterium; because the scriptures demand an authority for interpretation and instruction.

 

[John_Martin]

I could tell you that “I went to the store yesterday and bought groceries; I bought everything on the list my wife gave me.”
An hour later my wife might tell you that I “went to the store yesterday and bought groceries; (he) bought everything on the list (that I) gave (him). He also bought some sweets contrary to his doctor’s advice.”

There is here a later addition to the narrative of the groceries. It does not, however, mean that the addition was something that was invented by her in the later editing of the narrative.

Someone can add something later that was deemed necessary for clarification. It happens.

With all that being said, I don’t really think a reflection on a gospel reading for the sake of inspiring faith is the place to go into an explanation of redaction criticism of a reading.