ADD THE CROSS

Mt 13:1-23

Jesus ends the Gospel today with the request, “He who has ears, let him hear.” Perhaps, it was even more than a request. It was a command: “Hear!”

It is worth noting that if you add a cross to the word “hear”, you get the word “heart”. The small letter “T” is in the figure of the cross.

Jesus commands us to put a heart in our hearing of His word. It is in our hearts that the seeds He sows must fall if they are to produce an abundant harvest.

Jesus reminds us that to have a heart in hearing His word is to welcome the cross. Through the cross we bear on account of hearing His word and living it out, the seeds He plants grow in us and yield a rich harvest.

Jesus also tells us to put “e-a-r” at the center of our “h-e-a-r-t”. We must listen to Him with our hearts. We cannot put a heart in our hearing of His word, unless our “h-e-a-r-t” has “e-a-r”. The first attitude that our hearts must have before Jesus is hearing His word; then, our hearts will be part of the Lord’s bountiful harvest.

Remember: it is not enough to hear the Word of God. Add the cross and have a heart to hear with.

Hear whoever has ears but only those who welcome the cross will yield a rich harvest!