Reflection for July 24 Thursday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 13:10-17

Gospel: Matthew 13:10-17

The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?” He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. 

To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. 

Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see. Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be converted and I heal them. 

“But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

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Reflection:

How do you measure success in your life? 

Do you measure it by your wealth and power, or do you measure it by your closeness to Jesus? Many of us today measure success by the wealth and power we have accumulated, a mindset shaped by the standards of this world. 

But is this the true measure of success in the eyes of God? No. A truly successful life is one that is anchored in our closeness to Jesus. For what would wealth and power mean to us when they can be taken away at any moment? What would they mean to us when we grow old and become frail, no longer able to enjoy or even control what we once possessed? In those moments, wealth and power will lose their grip on us, and we will realize that someone else will take charge of us and our lives. 

What is the use of wealth and power if, deep inside, we feel empty and alone? What is the use of wealth and power if we cannot even sleep at night, our hearts restless from worrying about possessions that, at times, were gained in ways that may not have pleased God? 

The disciples of Jesus were truly blessed because He granted them the grace to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. They discovered that the true essence of life is to walk closely with Jesus, not to cling to the temporary pleasures and illusions of this world. 

Blessed indeed are those who know that true success is found in drawing nearer to Jesus each day, allowing Him to guide our hearts and direct our paths. True success is never about the things we own, for all of these are temporary and will pass away. It is about the peace that comes from knowing that we are loved by God, and the joy that comes from living according to His will. 

At the end of our journey in this world, it will not matter how much we owned or how high we rose in power. What will matter is how deeply we loved Jesus and how faithfully we followed Him. – Marino J. Dasmarinas