July 30
Kingdom of Heaven
Gospel: Matthew 13:47-53
 |
| Image created using Google AI Image Creator. |
Today's
Gospel: Matthew 13:47-53 (Kingdom of Heaven)
"Again,
the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered
fish of every kind; when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and
sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. So, it will be at the
close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the
righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and
gnash their teeth. 'Have you understood all this?' They said to him, 'Yes.' And
he said to them, 'Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom
of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and
what is old.' And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from
there."
Reflection:
I
love this, Gospel reading. It's a net, cast wide, pulling in every kind of soul
it can reach. God desires the salvation of every single soul. Not most, or only
the easy ones. He really wants all of them.
Some
days it's easy to wonder if living for God is even worth it. Watch how the
world parties. Watch what everyone else seems to be enjoying while you're
saying no, staying faithful, showing up to Mass. Today's Gospel answers that
doubt directly. The righteous get gathered up like treasure. That's not wishful
thinking. That's a promise.
Here's
what gets me every time I picture that net: it never stops moving. Someone
crosses from this life into eternity nearly every second, all day, every day,
all over the world. Millions a year. That net is always being drawn in. Every
single one of those souls matters to God the way every single bead on a rosary
matters to the whole prayer.
And
that's exactly why I can't stay quiet about the Rosary; many of you know me.
Our Blessed Mother hands us the surest rope back into that net. She doesn't ask
for anything complicated. Just pick up those beads of joy. Just say yes, the
way she said yes. Every decade prayed is a soul pulled a little closer to home,
maybe even yours, or maybe someone you've never met who needed exactly that
prayer at exactly that hour.
So
don't ignore this. Share the rosary with others. Teach someone to Pray The
Rosary. Tell somebody today that Our Lady is waiting for them with open arms,
not because you're supposed to, but because you actually believe it. This is
too good to keep to yourself. It must be shared with Joy and Love.
The
net is being drawn in right now. Are you helping fill it?
Rosary Man Jim 🌹
Freely given. Freely shared.
