Bishop Barron's Gospel Reflection August 1, 2019

Thursday, August 1, 2019

Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Matthew 13:47-53

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus presents two more parables on the kingdom of heaven. In the first parable, we hear that “the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea.” Here the kingdom of heaven is coming for us. This is an eschatological image of the kingdom, of God’s final rounding up of the world at the end of time. When will it come? We don’t know. But we must be ready! And being ready means being in accord with the rule of God. Then the second parable: “Every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” Jesus knew that his ministry and teaching were, to a large extent, in continuity with what came before him. At the same time, he knew that his preaching and person did represent something new and unprecedented. So those learned in the kingdom of God love traditions, the heritage of faith; and those learned in the kingdom also know that the Spirit is doing new things. Therefore, we have to be open to what he might want to show us. Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Lectionary: 404 Reading 1 Ex 40:16-21, 34-38 Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him. On the first day of the first month of the second year the Dwelling was erected. It was Moses who erected the Dwelling. He placed its pedestals, set up its boards, put in its bars, and set up its columns. He spread the tent over the Dwelling and put the covering on top of the tent, as the LORD had commanded him. He took the commandments and put them in the ark; he placed poles alongside the ark and set the propitiatory upon it. He brought the ark into the Dwelling and hung the curtain veil, thus screening off the ark of the commandments, as the LORD had commanded him. Then the cloud covered the meeting tent, and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling. Moses could not enter the meeting tent, because the cloud settled down upon it and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling. Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling, the children of Israel would set out on their journey. But if the cloud did not lift, they would not go forward; only when it lifted did they go forward. In the daytime the cloud of the LORD was seen over the Dwelling; whereas at night, fire was seen in the cloud by the whole house of Israel in all the stages of their journey. Gospel Mt 13:47-53 Jesus said to the disciples: "The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth." "Do you understand all these things?" They answered, "Yes." And he replied, "Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old." When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.