NOTES for Mar 4:35-41
Today the Lord addresses one of the most important questions to us: “How do we listen?” We read the Bible regularly and even visit Bible websites, but do we have ears with which to receive the Word, let it take root in our hearts and bear fruit? The Lord says: “The measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you who hear.” In essence, this means that whatever a person wants to find in Scripture (and in God's revelation in general), that is what he will find. The Bible can provide us with a wealth of material on history, literature, philology, mysticism and so on, but only one who seeks the knowledge of God in it (that is, a living, personal relationship with Him built on trust and love) will be able to find God through reading Holy Scripture. Here the words “to him who has, more will be given” take on their meaning. In hearing and understanding the Word of God, we can only deepen and multiply what we already have; that is, we must approach it within an already existing bond with God, in faith and prayer.