In this portion of Matthew 13, we continue to hear many of our Lord's parables. We consider some of the profound interpretations given by the Church Fathers. The Parable of the Mustard Seed, that of the Yeast and the Dough, and the parable of the Weeds Among the Wheat.
We especially consider the patience and confidence that we must have, for the grace of Christ has triumphed and will triumph over all the earth and within our souls.
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In this sermon, we consider why our Lord spoke in parables. And, we also reflect upon the fact that the parables (and all great literature) cannon be boiled down to a simple moral - the meaning is the whole story. As when people asked Flannery O'Connor what her stories meant, she replied, "If I could have said it more clearly, I would have!"
So Our Lord cab assure us that if there were a way we could have understood more clearly, he would have used that means. But the parables are suited to our lowliness and ignorance, and they pierce the hardness of our hearts to bring us to conversion.
Also, the parables require us to look to the apostles and the bishops of the Church for the proper interpretation - in this way, the hierarchy of the Church is intended.
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Following upon the illicit ordinations/consecration of four bishops, the Vatican has issued a stern reprimand and excommunication not only for the four new bishops and the bishop(s) involved, but also warnings of excommunication for the priests of the SSPX (likely incurred) and also even for the lay people that attend the SSPX (danger of incurring).
We explain and defend the Vaticans position.
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We discuss Matthew chapter 11, and give context for the Sunday Gospel and the exhortation to humility.
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We continue reading from Matthew 10, Christ's exhortation to his Apostles. The Apostles put God before all (as did Elisha and the woman from the first reading).
As we see again that Christ preaches himself (all depends on how we respond to him), we consider how the apostles lived this and how we can also live this.
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