Reflection From

Fr. Davis

July 12, 2026

In the Gospel from Matthew (Chapter 13) Jesus is speaking in parables about the seed that falls on good soil or rather is snatched by birds, falls on rocky soil, or gets choked out by thorns and weeds.

He explains how the people in the crowds do not all receive the message of God’s kingdom for various reasons: because of tribulation, worldly anxiety, the lure of worldly riches, or the evil one snatching away what never really took root in the heart.

How many times do we come to Mass and just zone out or check our brain at the door or maybe the contrary, using the time and church to think about all the stuff we still have to do that is pressing at home or at work? Meanwhile, what is taking place is a miracle. The elements of bread and wine become transformed (although undetected most times) into God himself. His words are being proclaimed, and his eternal wisdom is shared with us through the readings and prayers of the Mass, but we often are replaying conversations with someone else in our mind or are anticipating the next soccer game. Am I right?

I get it. It happens to all of us. Mass may not be as stimulating, exciting or as impressive as our forms of entertainment, but let’s not be fooled! Let not what appears on the surface take away from what actually is. The Mass is in fact, the one-timeless-eternal sacrifice of Jesus made accessible to us in the form of a sacred meal. This is what it is and nothing less.

Of course, we cannot expect ourselves to savor every word or understand every passage of scripture proclaimed, but we can prepare ourselves to deeply receive and retain the graces God has in store for us each Sunday. We can prepare by reading the scripture passages in advance, arrive on time, and sit closer to the sanctuary. It is amazing how much we can engage when we are prepared.

May our eyes see God in all the ways He is present to us, our ears listen to His voice, and may our hearts receive His real presence at each and every Mass, as He reveals the mysteries of the kingdom to us, just as He did with His first followers. Amen.

Father Lima

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