Jeremiah 26 : 1-9 / Matthew 13 : 54-58
If someone were to ask you who preached the homily at Mass last Sunday, you might take a while to recall which priest it was.
But if the next question would be "So what did he preach about?" then we really have to crank up our memory in order to recall what we heard.
And ten other persons who were there listening to the same homily would have ten versions of what was preached.
That could mean that people are doing their own reflections about the Word of God.
Yet people also tend to listen with varying degrees of openness and receptivity.
And that depends largely on who is speaking.
In the two readings of today, we see two types of people who are not open to what is said.
In the 1st reading is the type who is not open to correction, and hence do not want to hear the truth.
In the gospel is the type who is not open to the person, and hence is not open to the truth.
We have a bit of both in each of us.
But when we challenge ourselves to listen to what is said and not how it is said or who is saying it, then we will be able to hear the truth.
Then we will hear the prophetic voice of God.