12th July 2008

Fifteen Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A

The readings for this Sunday call us to self-examination. The gospel describes various levels of receptivity, the willingness to allow ourselves to receive from another, to be influenced by another, perhaps even to be transformed. The more independent we are, the less likely we will be open to others and, consequently, less receptive to their ideas. By definition disciples are receptive to the one they follow. To be a disciple of Jesus requires receptivity, so it is important that we scrutinise ourselves to discover the extent to which we are open. To what should we be receptive? To the words of Scripture, the words of the liturgy, the words of the sacraments, the living tradition of the community. God's word is sown in many forms and under many guises. It makes little difference who sows the seed. How will we receive it?

Besides the word of God, the readings speak of the world of God. The people of biblical times were aware of the revelation of God in and through the natural world. Isaiah teaches about the effectiveness of the word of God through the metaphor of rain. The psalmist uses the natural world to describe God's work of salvation. Paul claims that eschatological fulfilment will include all of creation. Finally, Jesus' parables are rooted in stories about nature. We cannot afford to close our eyes to the needs of the natural world, or stop our ears to the cries of the earth, or harden our hearts to the world of which we are a part, for the word of God will accomplish the end for which God sent it.

  Dianne Bergant CSA