July 13, 2014

Reading

The Book of the Prophet Isaiah    55: 10-11

55:10	And in the same manner as rain and snow descend from heaven, and no longer return there, but soak the earth, and water it, and cause it to bloom and to provide seed to the sower and bread to the hungry,
55:11	so also will my word be, which will go forth from my mouth. It will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish whatever I will, and it will prosper in the tasks for which I sent it.

 

Second Reading

Romans   8: 18-23

8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with that future glory which shall be revealed in us.

8:19 For the anticipation of the creature anticipates the revelation of the sons of God.

8:20 For the creature was made subject to emptiness, not willingly, but for the sake of the One who made it subject, unto hope.

8:21 For the creature itself shall also be delivered from the servitude of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the sons of God.

8:22 For we know that every creature groans inwardly, as if giving birth, even until now;

8:23 and not only these, but also ourselves, since we hold the first-fruits of the Spirit. For we also groan within ourselves, anticipating our adoption as the sons of God, and the redemption of our body.

Gospel

Matthew 13: 1-23

13:1 In that day, Jesus, departing from the house, sat down beside the sea.

13:2 And such great crowds were gathered to him that he climbed into a boat and he sat down. And the entire multitude stood on the shore.

13:3 And he spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow seed.

13:4 And while he was sowing, some fell beside the road, and the birds of the air came and ate it.

13:5 Then others fell in a rocky place, where they did not have much soil. And they sprung up promptly, because they had no depth of soil.

13:6 But when the sun rose up, they were scorched, and because they had no roots, they withered.

13:7 Still others fell among thorns, and the thorns increased and suffocated them.

13:8 Yet some others fell upon good soil, and they produced fruit: some one hundred fold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold.

13:9 Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”

13:10 And his disciples drew near to him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”

13:11 Responding, he said to them: “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but it has not been given to them.

13:12 For whoever has, it shall be given to him, and he shall have in abundance. But whoever has not, even what he has shall be taken away from him.

13:13 For this reason, I speak to them in parables: because seeing, they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

13:14 And so, in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, who said, ‘Hearing, you shall hear, but not understand; and seeing, you shall see, but not perceive.

13:15 For the heart of this people has grown fat, and with their ears they hear heavily, and they have closed their eyes, lest at any time they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and then I would heal them.’

13:16 But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.

13:17 Amen I say to you, certainly, that many of the prophets and the just desired to see what you see, and yet they did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and yet they did not hear it.

13:18 Listen, then, to the parable of the sower.

13:19 With anyone who hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, evil comes and carries away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received the seed by the side of the road.

13:20 Then whoever has received the seed upon a rocky place, this is one who hears the word and promptly accepts it with joy.

13:21 But he has no root in himself, so it is only for a time; then, when tribulation and persecution occur because of the word, he promptly stumbles.

13:22 And whoever has received the seed among thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the falseness of riches suffocate the word, and he is effectively without fruit.

13:23 Yet truly, whoever has received the seed into good soil, this is he who hears the word, and understands it, and so he bears fruit, and he produces: some a hundred fold, and another sixty fold, and another thirty fold.”