Daily Gospel Reflection for July 30, 2020

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: Matthew 13:47-53

Jesus often used parables to help his Apostles comprehend supernatural concepts. In today’s Gospel, Jesus continues His teachings on the kingdom of heaven. He uses a fishing comparison, something they could probably all relate to, but especially Peter, James and Andrew. Imagine the Church as a net, like a huge fishing dragnet. The sea is the world. Everything in the path of this net gets gathered in, and when it’s pulled in, the fishermen must sort it according to its worth, and toss out the useless items. This refers to the final judgment.

Jesus teaches often about the "last things” - death, judgment, heaven, hell. These have always been subjects that humans prefer not to think about, and are even more taboo in our modern, secular culture. Today, Jesus asks his Apostles, “Do you understand?” (They always seem to say “yes” to such questions from Jesus, but don’t you just imagine them looking around at one another and raising their eyebrows when Jesus turns His back?) He’s asking us, too, and although we try hard to wrap our brains around the concept, it’s a challenging one.

This is where the Holy Spirit comes in, gifting us with pure faith. Jesus established His Church through the Apostles, who eventually did reach a faithful understanding of Christ’s teachings. After the first Pentecost, they were on fire, presenting in a powerful way the “treasures” of the faith that Jesus had taught them, sharing from their storehouse of teachings “the old and the new.” These treasures are also ours to possess and accept in steadfast faith, as we ponder and prepare for the last things.

Jesus teaches often about the "last things” - death, judgment, heaven, hell - subjects that humans prefer not to think about. #dailygospel

Ponder:

What steps can I take to deepen my faith and more confidently accept and share the teachings of Christ and His Church?

Pray:

Sanctify and enlighten my thoughts, Holy Spirit, that I may receive unwavering faith, as I “look not to what is seen, but to what is unseen.”

Copyright 2020 Charlene Rack