NAME: CHERRY REYES

SUBJECT: ESP

GRADE & SECTION: 10-AQUINO

Parable of The Sower – Matthew 13:1-23

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds
gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on
the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to
sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds
came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It
sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants
were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among
thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where
it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears,
let them hear.” The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people
in parables?” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of
heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and
they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be
taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;

Though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of
Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;

You will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

For this people’s heart has become calloused;

They hardly hear with their ears,

And they have closed their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

Hear with their ears,

Understand with their hearts

And turn, and I would heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear For truly I
tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not
see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. “Listen then to what the parable
of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not
understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This
is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone
who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they
last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they
quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the
word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word,
making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the
word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty
or thirty times what was sown.”

Reflection:

God wants our lives to overflow with mercy, love, and compassion — the marks of His
kingdom. As followers of Jesus, we have a choice: respond to unsettling realities in fear
and withdraw, or follow Him in responding to the greatest needs of our day with love
and hope. We know salvation doesn’t depend on works, but we also know that caring
for those in need is evidence of a faith that changes lives. Along with our donors and
supporters, we’ve put that kind of faith to work. Thanks in part to their tireless
generosity and commitment to action, poverty is retreating and on the run. Two
decades ago, more than 30,000 children died from preventable causes each day. Now,
that number is less than 15,000. Thant’s millions of children’s lives saved every year!
Still, the job isn’t finished. Poverty may be pulling back, but it’s holing up in some of
the toughest places in the world — areas plagued by violence, corruption, and
exploitation. That’s why now is the time to come together, inviting our brothers and
sisters to the deep and profoundly fulfilling purpose of building God’s kingdom by
serving the poor and oppressed as Jesus did. It won’t be easy, but by uniting as the
body of Christ, we can help make fuller lives possible for children and families in need.

When we do, something incredible will happen. We’ll encounter a living God working
through us to usher in His kingdom of love and justice on earth. To end exploitation.
To restore lives. To empower communities. And in serving them, we’ll serve Him.

NAME: CHERRY REYES

SUBJECT: ESP

GRADE & SECTION: 10-AQUINO

Parable of The Unforgiving Servant - Matthew 18:23-35

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant is a story told by Jesus in the New
Testament of the Bible. It’s found in Matthew 18:21-35.
The story goes like this: A king wanted to settle his accounts with his servants.
One servant who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought before him.
Since the servant could not pay, the king ordered him, his wife, and children to
be sold to repay the debt.

The servant fell on his knees before the king and begged him for mercy,
promising to pay everything back. The king felt sorry for the servant and
canceled his debt, setting him free.

But when the servant went outside, he found a fellow servant who owed him a
hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him, demanding for
the money. The fellow servant fell on his knees and begged him for mercy,
promising to pay everything back. But the unforgiving servant refused and had
him thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.

When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed
and reported to the king. The king summoned the servant and said to him,
“You wicked servant, I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me
to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?”
The king handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay back
all he owed.

The parable teaches that God will forgive us if we forgive others. It shows us
that in the same way that we have been forgiven, we should also forgive others
who wrong us. It emphasizes that when we hold a grudge and refuse to forgive,
we end up hurting ourselves more than the person who wronged us.

Reflection

The parable of the Unforgiving Servant teaches the importance of forgiveness.

The servant owed his master an immeasurable amount of money, something he
could never repay. When the servant pleaded for mercy, his master was moved
by compassion and forgave his debt. However, the servant did not show the
same compassion to a fellow servant who owed him a relatively small sum of
money. He demanded payment and when the servant could not pay, he had
him thrown into prison.
The moral lesson of this parable is that we should forgive others as we have
been forgiven. We all make mistakes, and we all want to be forgiven. When we
extend forgiveness to others, we release them from the debt they owe us, and
we free ourselves from anger and bitterness. On the other hand, when we
refuse to forgive, we become enslaved to our own resentment and inability to
let go.

In our daily lives, we may encounter situations where someone has wronged us.
It can be tempting to hold a grudge or seek revenge, but in the end, this only
harms us. When we forgive, we show compassion and love to others, and we
live a more peaceful and fulfilling life.

NAME: CHERRY REYES

SUBJECT: ESP
GRADE & SECTION: 10-AQUINO
Parable of The Heart of Man – Matthew 15:10-20

One day, Jesus was surrounded by a crowd of people who had come to listen to
his teachings. Among them were his disciples and some religious leaders who
were skeptical of Jesus’ teachings.

Jesus looked at the crowd and said, “Listen and understand: it is not what goes
into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this
defiles a person.”

His disciples were puzzled by his statement and asked him to explain. Jesus
then shared a parable with them.

“Imagine a person who eats food with unwashed hands,” Jesus began. “The
food goes into the stomach and is eventually eliminated as waste. But what
comes out of the mouth, the words that are spoken, come from the heart.”

Jesus continued, “From the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual
immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander. These are what defile a person;
but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”

Jesus was teaching that it’s not external things, such as the food one eats or the
rituals one performs, that determine a person’s purity or defilement. Instead,
it’s the condition of the heart and the words and actions that flow from it that
truly matter.

He emphasized that the heart of man is the source of both good and evil. Evil
thoughts and actions come from a corrupt heart, while good thoughts and
actions come from a pure heart. Jesus was highlighting the importance of inner
purity and the need to guard one’s heart against evil.

This parable serves as a reminder to focus on the state of our hearts and the
quality of our words and actions. It emphasizes the need to cultivate a pure
heart, filled with love, compassion, and righteousness, as that is what truly
matters in our relationship with God and others.

In conclusion, the parable of the heart of man from Matthew 15:10-20 teaches
that it’s not external rituals or practices that make a person pure or defiled, but
the condition of the heart and the words and actions that flow from it. It
underscores the importance of cultivating a pure heart and being mindful of
the thoughts, words, and actions that come from within.

Reflection:

Jesus emphasized that external rituals or practices alone do not make a

person pure or defiled. It's the condition of the heart that truly matters. This
reminds us to focus on cultivating a pure heart, filled with love, compassion,
and righteousness, rather than just going through religious motions without
addressing the state of our hearts.

Jesus highlighted that what comes out of a person's mouth, in the form of
words and actions, reveals the condition of their heart. It's a reminder to be
mindful of our speech and actions, as they reflect the state of our hearts. We
should strive to speak and act in a way that is aligned with a pure heart,
avoiding evil thoughts, false testimony, slander, and other negative behaviors.

Jesus listed various evil thoughts and actions that come from the heart, such
as murder, adultery, and theft. This serves as a reminder that the battle
against evil begins in the heart. We need to be vigilant in guarding our hearts
against impure thoughts and desires, and strive to cultivate a heart that is
aligned with goodness, righteousness, and moral values.

Jesus' teaching underscores the importance of inner purity in our relationship

with God and others. It's not just about external appearances or rituals, but
about the condition of our hearts. When our hearts are pure, our words and
actions will reflect godly virtues, and we will be able to have healthy and
righteous relationships with God and others.

Jesus' teaching prompts us to engage in self-reflection and introspection. It's

essential to examine our hearts and be honest with ourselves about our
thoughts, desires, and behaviors. By identifying areas of impurity in our
hearts, we can take steps towards repentance, transformation, and cultivating
a pure heart that is pleasing to God.