Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: July 24, 2025

Date: Thursday of the 16^th Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture Text:  Matthew 13:10-17

The disciples approached Jesus and said, "Why do you speak to the crowd 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

nd hear with their ears

and understand with their hearts

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."

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

In the gospel for today, Jesus reveals to the disciples why He teaches in parables rather than sermons. He points to the lack of belief in Him on the part of listeners in the crowd as the reason for His parables. Rather than teach with a sermon/speech which they can easily dismiss, Jesus teaches with parables, puzzling and sometimes confusing stories that capture the hearer as he seeks to make sense of it rather than simply dismiss it because it is contrary to his belief.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

Does the LORD have to speak to me in parables because of my own defenses/walls that protect me from the LORD’s probing and prodding? Do I have the faith and trust I need to recognize not only Jesus’ voice but His truth?

Praying:

LORD, Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior, we come to You seeking. We believe in You, we believe You are the Son of God, we believe in your love for us and for the Father that led You to give your life selflessly so that we might have life. Send your Spirit to open our minds but more importantly our hearts to You, to your “Way”, to the Truth You proclaim, to the Life You won for us. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.