July 28, 2005

The Net Mt 13:47-53

Jesus said to the disciples: "The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."

"Do you understand all these things?" They answered, "Yes." And he replied, "Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old." When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.

The net will gather all from the sea. The good will be saved, this is heaven. The way that all is told in parables by Jesus brings to mind the pictures of every day life. The ways of heaven are made clear and simple for all to understand. The faith of Christianity does not take great intellect or learning to know the meaning. It is for all to see and know who have the openness to the message. The net that is cast is wide and inclusive.