Our Gospel provides an interlude between yesterday’s parable about the sower and tomorrow’s explanation of it.
Until this 13th Chapter, Jesus has been very busy. He’s been teaching and preaching, healing, explaining, traveling, and gathering disciples. Here he does something new, telling his audience a story – a parable – and his disciples wonder why. Why tell a story that only a few get? Jesus tells them that some of his listeners are meant to get it and others aren’t. And the disciples should be thankful that they’re in the group that understands.
As the Jerusalem Bible puts it: “Those who saw so dimly could be further blinded by the light of full revelation. Jesus, therefore, does not reveal with complete clarity the true nature of the messianic kingdom which is unostentatious. Instead, he filters the light through symbols, the resulting half-light is nevertheless a grace from God, an invitation to ask for something better and accept something greater.”
As we all know, there is a clear difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is rather passive – the hustle and bustle of our daily lives provides a cacophony of sounds most of which we filter out of our consciousness. Listening, on the other hand, is something very active. To listen, we not only have to hear but also consider and then accept what we hear. Sadly, for many, the words of the Gospel are heard but not listened to because the hearer think their message has no relevance to their lives.
And here, it seems to me, is the issue: Am I ready to see, hear and accept the Gospel? If I’m prepared to listen, it will mean making radical changes in my values and priorities, in my relationships and in the way I live my life. Or do I prefer to remain blind and deaf?