THE MYSTERIES REVEALED

THURSDAY, SIXTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Jer 2:1-3,7-8,12-13; Ps 36:6-11; Mt 13:10-17

What the Prophets Longed to Hear

Mysteries are divine truths that transcend the human mind. They are difficult to comprehend in our mortal existence. Such mysteries are presented to us in simple analogies that we can easily understand and relate to. However, our ability to relate to these mysteries is radically diminished by sin, for sin is a different orientation from our natural orientation, which is towards God. Sin gives us an orientation to creatures, which is an orientation that first exists in the devil and his fallen angels. He was the first to turn away from God to creature, himself, for he is a creature of God. He tempts us to turn away from God to self, and subsequently to creatures. Orientation to creatures blinds us to the presence of God and his providential care for us. With such an orientation, what we merit is outright destruction, for we have lost the purpose of our being, which is, namely, to know, love, and serve God. Destruction would be our lot when the divine justice acts without being in league with divine mercy and love. Thus, God does not destroy us but condemns our actions and plans a way to redeem us from our bondage or captivity to evil. The plan of redemption demonstrates the working together of God’s infinite perfections.

God’s call of Abraham and his subsequent covenant and relationship with him and his descendants were the divine attempt to reorient man back to God. Through Abraham, God intended to form a people who would possess the right orientation to receive the revelation of his mysteries and participate in divine life and communion. The communion is never forced on us, but persuasively constructed, for man must cooperate willingly. God’s greatness is most evinced in the ability to attract man to the divine ideal away from his sinful slavery to creatures and forces of darkness. Because the sinful orientation and tendencies have taken deep root in us, we regularly see ourselves being pulled back to creatures despite our resolutions to seek God. Israel is an example of this frequent relapse into sin, of which the Lord complains through Jeremiah. “The Lord says this: I remember the affection of your youth, the love of your bridal days: you followed me through the wilderness, through a land unsown. Israel was sacred to the Lord, the first-fruits of his harvest; anyone who ate of this had to pay for it, misfortune came to them—it is the Lord who speaks.” Rescued from slavery in Egypt, they were supposed to fix their interest and gaze on the Lord. But they relapsed into a state of slavery while inside the Promised Land of Canaan. “I brought you to a fertile country to enjoy its produce and good things; but no sooner had you entered than you defiled my land, and made my heritage detestable.”

The people of Israel and the promised land of Canaan prefigure the Christian people and the grace-fertile land of the Church of Jesus Christ. Like them, we are baptised and made members of the Church, which is the body of Jesus Christ. Are we bearing holy and heavenly fruits in the Church? The word of God, which we hear amply in the church, and the sacraments, are supposed to aid us to bear fruits in a hundredfold, sixtyfold, and thirtyfold. We are not productive because of our orientation to creatures, as the Lord revealed in the parables. We cannot bear holy fruits when our minds and hearts are removed from Jesus Christ. The Church daily reveals the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven through the word and the sacraments we celebrate, but we do not take them to mind and heart. As Jesus answered his disciples when they asked about the purpose of his parables: “Because the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed to you, but they are not revealed to them. For anyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” The mysteries of God’s outpouring of himself are such that they can only be penetrated by the total commitment of our minds and hearts, for only deep calls to deep. “I tell you solemnly, many prophets and holy men longed to see what you see and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heart it.”

Let us pray: Show favour, O Lord, to your servants and mercifully increase the gifts of your grace, that, made fervent in hope, faith and charity, they may be ever watchful in keeping your commands. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.