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Holy Cross Abbey

901 Cool Spring Lane Berryville, Virginia 22611

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Reflection on the Gospel of the Seventeenth Thursday in Ordinary Time

August 3, 2018 by James

Readings: Jeremiah 18:1-6; Matthew 13:47-53

“Do you understand these things?” They answered, “Yes.”

Matthew’s point here is that unlike the crowds, Jesus’ disciples–that is, the true followers of Jesus–grasp the meaning of his parables. This may address a broader issue facing the early Church, rather than the Apostles before the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord. The Evangelist is juggling the inconsistency of how Jesus, the new and definitive Moses, the very Wisdom of God, was not overwhelmingly accepted by Matthew’s fellow Jews. So, from the teaching of Jesus, he underlines the distinction between the crowds and the true disciples.

But the important question remains: “Do you understand these things?”

Honestly, my mind gets it. My fears and insecurities still have to catch up. But what helps, even now, is that collectively, we do get it. The trust and confidence of wise and holy people are undeterred by the imperfect and inconstant conditions in which we live. That certainly helps me to get beyond that intimidating environment–even the imperfect and inconsistent climate within myself–helping me to trust, to understand, to move forward.

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