Those Who Have More, More will be Given

Today’s Gospel, Matthew 13: 10-17, Jesus is asked why he speaks in parables to the crowd. He says it is because “knowledge of mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to [the crowd]  it has not been granted.”  Furthermore, Jesus says, “ to anyone who has, more will be given and [that person] will grow rich; from anyone who has nit, even what [that person] has will be taken away.”

What are we to make of Jesus’ explanation?  The crowd, Jesus says, has not received “knowledge of mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven” but you have.  We might interpret that to mean that  God gives to individuals--calls individuals.  The call is personal, individualized.  We might then ask: “Why, Lord, to the one who has,  more will be given and to the person who has nothing, nothing will be given and even the little this person has, that little will be taken away from him/her. “  Is it possible that when we have nothing or very little—and probably are not doing much to grow in our faith, we lose the little we have and, if our “jug” is empty of faith, it stays empty because we are doing nothing to assist in its growth?  On the other hand, when a person has a lot, is it because that person is working and doing all within his/her power to achieve even deeper knowledge. Thus the more one has the more one receives because of the open disposition of that person’s heart, mind, and will?

“Seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be open to you,” 

Jesus says to us in Matthew 7:7.  Are you seeking by engaging in spiritual reading, in reflecting on the Scriptures, in attending religious services and  receiving the sacraments? Are you knocking at the door of  God’s heart, seeking God in the stillness of your own being, in the stillness of nature, in the stillness of a religious service?  Are  seeking to love and be loved, seeking to forgive and be forgiven? Are you seeking that which is true for you?