Newsletter — Seventeenth Sunday of the Year A — 30th July 2023
Click here for our latest newsletter
Overall Theme of the Readings: To gain wisdom is to gain it from God. It comes to those who love Him and are docile to the Spirit of the Lord. He will grant you more wisdom than Solomon.
First Reading – 1 Kings 3:5,7-12: Solomon pleases God when he asks for a wise and understanding heart to better govern the people. God appeared to Solomon in his youth and God offers Solomon one request. Solomon unselfishly asked for wisdom which pleased God. From this wisdom, Solomon told three thousand parables. This shows how Solomon is a prototype of Christ, who tells many parables from His Divine Wisdom. Similarly, the kingdom of David is the foreshadowing of the Kingdom of the Lord, the Church.
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 119: The law of the Lord is more precious than silver and gold. The psalm praises of all God’s commands that all flow from His Divine Wisdom. Jesus is the Incarnation of the Law of God.
Second Gospel Reading – Romans 8:28-30: God chose us to be conformed to the image of his Son. The first-born son motif is displayed in this reading. What God considers a first born is different than what we think, because it is designated to those who love the Lord as His first-born son. What is first in the order of nature often succumbs to pride in the Old Testament. Jesus is the first-born of all first-borns, and
we are called to a royal firstborn status as children of God by Baptism. As first-borns, we should love the Lord even in the trials. God prompts us to good and loving choices by His Spirit working with our free will.
Gospel Reading – Matthew 13:44-52: Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is the royal first-born son of David and has come to re-establish the kingdom. This Kingdom is contrary to other Kingdoms. He explains this through parables that refer to Himself and the Church. The catching of fish parable shows how the Church is mixed with sinners and saints. The pearl of great price is our call to discipleship. He calls us to give up everything for the Kingdom. The Kingdom is where the King is. Therefore, the Eucharist, Christ Himself, is the pearl of great price that we would even give our lives for.
Click here for our latest newsletter