A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 4:1-20
On another occasion, Jesus began to teach by the sea. A very large crowd gathered around him so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down. And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land. And he taught them at length in parables, and in the course of his instruction he said to them, “Hear this! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.” And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables. He answered them, “The mystery of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that they may look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but not understand, in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.” Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy. But they have no roots; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”
REFLECTION: Jesus began to teach
And Jesus began to teach the crowds...
The parable of today differentiates how the Word of God reaches His people.
The seed sown on the path are quickly taken up by Satan.
The seed sown on rocky ground are joyous when they hear the Word but since they have no root quickly fall apart when trials and tribulations show up.
The seed sown among thorns bears no fruit as anxiety, riches and worldly cravings prevent sustained growth.
The seed sown on rich soil hear the Word and accept it and bear fruit.
Mother Angela Merici, foundress of the Company of St Ursula (1540 AD), was appalled by the ignorance of children of poor parents who either could not or refused to teach their children. She was able to have some of her friends help her in teaching. She was blessed with charm of manner and good looks. The little girls of the neighborhood gathered with the teachers on a daily basis.
The young teachers followed St Angela and soon consecrated themselves with her in the service of God. They were placed under the direction of St Ursula, patroness of medieval universities and leader of women-- and therefore, the Ursulines.
Ursuline is an all-girls, independent, private, Roman Catholic school.
We thank St Mother Angela Merici for helping the young girls achieve a spiritual and academic education. The nuns taught with strong discipline the love of God and love of His Word. Having graduated from Ursuline Academy, I can attest that the nuns worked diligently for excellent scholastics, teaching all of us who at times were on rocky , thorny and even fertile paths.
God Bless St. Angela Merici
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