Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 103
Lectionary: 103
Thus says the LORD:
Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
and do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
so shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
my word shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.
Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
and do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
so shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
my word shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.
Responsorial Psalm PS 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14
R/ (Lk 8:8) The seed that falls on good ground will yield
a fruitful harvest.
You have visited the land and watered it;
greatly have you enriched it.
God’s watercourses are filled;
you have prepared the grain.
R/ The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
Thus have you prepared the land: drenching its furrows,
breaking up its clods,
Softening it with showers,
blessing its yield.
R/ The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
You have crowned the year with your bounty,
and your paths overflow with a rich harvest;
The untilled meadows overflow with it,
and rejoicing clothes the hills.
R/ The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
The fields are garmented with flocks
and the valleys blanketed with grain.
They shout and sing for joy.
R/ The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
You have visited the land and watered it;
greatly have you enriched it.
God’s watercourses are filled;
you have prepared the grain.
R/ The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
Thus have you prepared the land: drenching its furrows,
breaking up its clods,
Softening it with showers,
blessing its yield.
R/ The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
You have crowned the year with your bounty,
and your paths overflow with a rich harvest;
The untilled meadows overflow with it,
and rejoicing clothes the hills.
R/ The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
The fields are garmented with flocks
and the valleys blanketed with grain.
They shout and sing for joy.
R/ The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
Reading 2ROM 8:18-23
Brothers and
sisters:
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing
compared with the glory to be revealed for us.
For creation awaits with eager expectation
the revelation of the children of God;
for creation was made subject to futility,
not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it,
in hope that creation itself
would be set free from slavery to corruption
and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;
and not only that, but we ourselves,
who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
we also groan within ourselves
as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing
compared with the glory to be revealed for us.
For creation awaits with eager expectation
the revelation of the children of God;
for creation was made subject to futility,
not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it,
in hope that creation itself
would be set free from slavery to corruption
and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;
and not only that, but we ourselves,
who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
we also groan within ourselves
as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
Gospel MT 13:1-23
On that day, Jesus
went out of the house and sat down by the sea.
Such large crowds gathered around him
that he got into a boat and sat down,
and the whole crowd stood along the shore.
And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:
“A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,
and when the sun rose it was scorched,
and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.
But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
The disciples approached him and said,
“Why do you speak to them in parables?”
He said to them in reply,
“Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.
To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;
from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables, because
they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.
Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:
You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts and be converted,
and I heal them.
“But blessed are your eyes, because they see,
and your ears, because they hear.
Amen, I say to 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.
“Hear then the parable of the sower.
The seed sown on the path is the one
who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it,
and the evil one comes and steals away
what was sown in his heart.
The seed sown on rocky ground
is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy.
But he has no root and lasts only for a time.
When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word,
he immediately falls away.
The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word,
but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word
and it bears no fruit.
But the seed sown on rich soil
is the one who hears the word and understands it,
who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”
Such large crowds gathered around him
that he got into a boat and sat down,
and the whole crowd stood along the shore.
And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:
“A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,
and when the sun rose it was scorched,
and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.
But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
The disciples approached him and said,
“Why do you speak to them in parables?”
He said to them in reply,
“Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.
To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;
from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables, because
they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.
Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:
You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts and be converted,
and I heal them.
“But blessed are your eyes, because they see,
and your ears, because they hear.
Amen, I say to 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.
“Hear then the parable of the sower.
The seed sown on the path is the one
who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it,
and the evil one comes and steals away
what was sown in his heart.
The seed sown on rocky ground
is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy.
But he has no root and lasts only for a time.
When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word,
he immediately falls away.
The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word,
but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word
and it bears no fruit.
But the seed sown on rich soil
is the one who hears the word and understands it,
who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”
Or MT 13:1-9
On that day, Jesus
went out of the house and sat down by the sea.
Such large crowds gathered around him
that he got into a boat and sat down,
and the whole crowd stood along the shore.
And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:
“A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,
and when the sun rose it was scorched,
and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.
But some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit,
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
Such large crowds gathered around him
that he got into a boat and sat down,
and the whole crowd stood along the shore.
And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:
“A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,
and when the sun rose it was scorched,
and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.
But some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit,
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
Scripture Study
July 13, 2014 - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
FIRST READING: Isaiah 55: 10-11. Thus says the Lord: "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it."
EXPLANATION. The prophet second-Isaiah, in the first nine verses of this chapter 55, has been calling on the Chosen People to come to God (Yahweh): "to seek him while he is still to be found." He begs them to turn back to Yahweh, "who is rich in forgiving," if only the wicked will abandon their evil ways. He goes on to personify the "word of Yahweh which is sent forth, from Yahweh, to accomplish a task, which it does. It is probably here that St. John found the basis of his theology of the Logos---"the Word became flesh"---the idea is later developed in the Wisdom literature (Prov. 8: 22; Wis. 7: 22, etc.).
As the rain and snow: The rain and the snow produce their good effects by moistening the soil and thus help to grow the crops which give food to man.
so shall . . . be: In the literal sense here, God's word is the teaching, the advice and admonition he is giving his Chosen People, through his prophet. Following the Wisdom literature, St. John found this term "Word" a most suitable expression to describe the Son of God who took our human nature. He had been with God from all eternity. It was through him that God created all things, "by a word of his mouth." This Word of God was God in his own right, God the Son.
not empty . . . accomplish:The word God spoke through his prophet would produce its effect. It would not be in vain. Some listened and were converted. But it was when the real Word of God came on earth that the real purpose of God was fulfilled. Heaven became the inheritance, not only of the Chosen People, but of all men, and was made available to all who would do the part required of them. The true Word of God did not return to him "empty," but as the "first-fruits" of millions to follow.
APPLICATION: The word of God which came to the chosen people through the prophets, and the divinely inspired writers, came out of God's loving interest in his people. He wanted to prepare them for the inheritance, the real "promised land," that, when the messianic age (the "fulness of time") came, would be theirs, provided their lives on earth were lived as they should be.
This word of God, this advice and admonition sent through his prophets, though valuable and Godlike, was but a type or shadow of the real Word of God, his divine Son, who came on earth to bring all men to heaven. He carried out the allotted task. He fulfilled his Father's will to the letter, even when this meant a life of suffering and death on a cross on Calvary. He was, in fact, raised from the dead, and returned to heaven victorious, the leader of an innumerable host which will follow him until this earth ceases to be.
As Christians, we are united to the Word of God who became flesh. We are members of his body, the Church. We are his brothers, and with him co-heirs of heaven. God the Father intended all these privileges for us, and Christ, God the Son, earned them for us. The least we can do in return for such favors is to try to be worthy of them, by being loyal to our Christian vocation, and by ever remaining close in love to our Father and to his Son, our brother. To help us live the true Christian life, we still have also the word of God, spoken through the prophets and the inspired writers of the Old and New Testaments. We have in other words, the Holy Bible, the book of books, which, if read with attention and devotion, will not fail to inspire and move us to be grateful and loyal to our divine benefactors, the three Persons of the blessed Trinity.
Every Christian home should have the Holy Bible as one of its most useful and treasured possessions. It should not be an ornament on a book-shelf. It should be read, a page or two daily, by every member of the family. The new rite of Mass gives us three readings from the Bible each Sunday and feastday. These readings have been selected with great care, and each reading has a message, or lesson, for each one of us, to inspire us to greater love of God and of our Christian vocation. We should listen attentively to this "word of God." He is speaking to us through these means. These sacred writings have been preserved down through the centuries for our benefit.
Let us thank out Father in heaven, who deigns to speak to us through the sacred writings, his "inspired word." Let us respect these writings and use them for edification and eventual sanctification but greater ground still for our gratitude is the living Word of God who raised us up from being mere mortals to the status of adopted sonship, by means of his Word, his Son, who became flesh and dwelt among us for a time, in order to bring us in to heaven for all eternity.
SECOND READING: Romans 8: 18-23. I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God, for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope, because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
EXPLANATION: In the verses which precede today's reading St. Paul stressed the gift of sonship of God which Christians received, together with the gift of the Holy Spirit, when they were baptized. In verses 16 and 17 he says: "The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we are children we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, sharing his suffering so as to share his glory."
I consider . . . time: That we suffer with Christ, and in imitation of him, while we are on this earth this is a small price, he says, but it is the price that is required for the glory that will be ours in the next world.
For the creation . . . sons of God: St. Paul now continues and describes the whole created universe as anxiously waiting for the fulfillment of God's purpose in creating it, namely, the glorification of man. In God's plan this glorification was to be brought about by the Incarnation. The grace given to the first human beings on earth was but a first step toward this end, but when these first human beings refused allegiance to their Creator, the lower creatures, inanimate and animate, lost their purpose which was to serve man and help him attain that end.
creation . . . futility: Serving man who had lost his direction, and was turned away from the end or purpose that God had intended for him, because of his sins, was a futile operation, a reversing of the purpose of all creation.
not . . . will: It was not the lower creatures' fault. They had no power of decision or responsibility. Man's abuse of his free will was the cause of this disorientation.
groaning . . . until now: Paul continues to describe the non-rational creatures as if they were rational. He says they suffered, as it were, the pains of childbirth until man was reborn as a new creature. Then the original purpose for which they were created was restored to them.
we . . . bodies: Although we men, through baptism and the reception of the Holy Spirit, are now once more on the right road toward the inheritance which the Incarnation has won for us, we are still only on the road. We have still to reach the end of our journey---the actual possession of the inheritance guaranteed to us which will be ours only after our resurrection.
APPLICATION: God's creation of the world was an act of sheer benevolence. He wished to share his own infinite perfection and happiness with creatures, who could enjoy that perfection and happiness because of the superior gifts with which he endowed them. These creatures were men---the human race. All the other creatures, the inanimate kingdom, plant kingdom, and animal kingdom were intended for man's service while he was on this earth. Man was the masterpiece of God's creative action, and was to be the master of all the lesser creatures.
God's eternal plan for making man a sharer in his own eternal happiness was to be brought about by the extraordinary act of divine love and condescension which we call the Incarnation. God the Son was to become man, unite our human created nature with his divinity, in the historical Jesus Christ, and thus raise man to brotherhood with Christ and sonship of God the Father.
This act of divine love was for all mankind, for the millions who lived and died before Christ came on earth, as well as for the billions who have lived and will live on earth after his coming. Men sinned before he came, men sinned and will sin after his coming, but Christ's death on the cross made infinite atonement to his Father, the good God whom men had offended, so that, if only the sinner repents, all sins are wiped out by God.
Heaven is thus open to all men of good-will. God, who is Love, has infinite ways of reaching the hearts of sinners and bringing them to repentance. But we Christians, who are fully acquainted with all that God has done for us, are obliged to do all in our power to make this loving God, and his plans for their eternal happiness, known to those who are still ignorant of him. Any Christian, who really appreciates what God has done for him, will feel compelled, out of gratitude, to help to bring this knowledge to God's other sons who are still in the darkness of paganism, old or new, but who are God's adopted children even though they are not aware of the fact.
Fidelity and true loyalty to the Christian life and teaching, which it is our privilege to have, are prime factors in helping to spread among those who do not yet possess it, the knowledge of God and his plans for all men. Fervent prayer for the conversion of sinners is another means within the reach of all of us, and a very effective means. Instead of that novena for the health of some relative or for some temporal need which seems so important, let us offer it for the conversion of some unbelievers or sinners that we know, and God will prove himself big enough and generous enough to grant us both requests. When we find life difficult, and cross laid upon cross, let us not forget what St. Paul tells us today: "the sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." What are a few years of pain of body or mental unhappiness, when compared with an eternity of peace and happiness in the world to come? We are exiles returning home, and we have to work our passage or earn our way. But we are certain of reaching our happy home, if we work that passage diligently and patiently and cheerfully.
GOSPEL: Matt. 13:1-9. Short Form. Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away. Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear."
EXPLANATION: Jesus taught his doctrine to the simple uneducated people by means of parables. A parable has been very aptly described as "an earthly story with a heavenly meaning." Jesus used the everyday happenings of which the people were well aware, to bring home to them the Christian message which was concerned with their eternal salvation.
got into a boat: As he sat on the beach of Lake Genesereth, the crowds that gathered were so large that he could not be seen or heard, so he got into a boat and moved out a few yards from the shore. From there he could be seen and heard. This is the parable he told them. Its lesson was clear enough for the majority of those who were anxious to learn. He explained it more fully to the Apostles later (as in the longer form of today's gospel), and declared that many of those who heard him would not see its lesson, because they were unwilling to see it, a fact the prophet Isaiah had already foretold (Is. 6:9-10).
a sower . . . sow: A common occurrence every springtime around the Lake of Genesereth.
some seeds . . . path: The path had not been plowed, so the seed remained uncovered and was devoured by the birds.
other . . . ground: Other seeds fell on rocky ground. Much of the land there was rocky---a thin skin of soil covering the stones. The seeds sprang up but they withered later for want of roots in deep soil.
other . . . thorns: The seeds sprang to life, but the briars and thorns took all the nourishment from the soil, and choked and starved the corn as it tried to grow.
other . . . good soil: There were parts of the field suitable and the seeds produced a hundred per cent yield, or sixty, or thirty according to the difference in the soil.
He who . . . hear: Jesus knows his audience. The lesson is clear to all. He was the sower. The seed was the message of salvation---but many of those listening would not profit by it because of their ingrained hostility. He tells the Apostles they are blessed, fortunate, because they accept him and his teaching. He adds that many lowly men in Old Testament times longed to see and hear him, as the Apostles do, but could not.
APPLICATION: Christ's description of his audience, that day in Galilee, is unfortunately as true today as it was then. His message of salvation has been preached to a great part of the world's population, but the proportion of those who accept it and live up to it, is about the same today as it was then.
There are millions of men and women today, in what was once Christian Europe, who are like the seed sown on the unplowed path. They refuse to accept the message, they have no thought for their future, they are content to end in the grave after their few years of misery and hardship on this planet.
There are others who see the truth and the consolation of the Christian gospel, but when it comes to making sacrifices for it, they give up. The message did not sink into their hearts and minds. They are like the seed which fell on rocky ground because the faith had no deep roots in their lives. Others again, and they are legion, are like the seed that fell among the briars and thorns. They accepted the faith and it took root in them but later on, "the cares of the world and the delight in riches chokes the word and it proves unfruitful,"---these are our Lord's own words.
The last class of Christians, are like the seed sown on good soil. They not only accept Christ and his teaching, but they live up to it, and, come what may, they are faithful to it. These will produce fruit and will earn for themselves eternal happiness.
Each one of us can look into his own conscience today and discover to which class he or she belongs. The fact that we are here, shows that at least we are still Christians; so we do not belong to the first class---the gospel seed did not fall on the hardened path. But what of the other classes? Are some of us perhaps, like the seed that fell on the rocky ground? While Christianity makes no very difficult demand we are all for it, but when it demands mortification, the curbing of passion, real sacrifices for our neighbor, do we forget our Christian calling then and ignore its precepts? And how does our type of Christianity stand up to the temptations of the world---the desire to get all the enjoyment we can out of this life, licit or illicit, breaking God's commandments weekly or maybe daily? Are we chasing after wealth and power, using all our energies to rise in the world to be above our neighbor by fair or foul means? If the above are our aims in life, our Christianity has been or is being choked out of us.
Let us hope that we all can number ourselves among those Christians who have sown their Christian faith in good soil and who will produce the fruit of eternal life. If we are truly honest with ourselves, the vast majority of us can say that there is a little streak of the stony and thorny ground in our hearts. Our courage must come from the fact that we have a merciful Father, who understands us and who is ever ready to pardon all past faults, if we humbly repent of them.
There are millions of saints in heaven today, enjoying eternal happiness, who had some, if not all, of our present failings. We, too, can be with them one day, provided we do what they did. They repented sincerely and remained God's close friends, until he called them to himself. May the merciful God give us the grace to imitate them while we yet have time.
Meditation: "Why do you speak to them in
parables?"
What is the best and easiest way to help people understand God's
kingdom? Like the rabbis of his time, Jesus very frequently used parables - short
stories and images taken from everyday life - to convey hidden truths about the
kingdom of God. Like a skillful artist, Jesus sketched memorable pictures with
short and simple words. A good image can speak more loudly and clearly than
many words. Jesus used the ordinary everyday illustrations of life and nature
to point to another order of reality - hidden, yet visible to those who had
"eyes to see" and "ears to hear". Jesus communicated with
vivid illustrations which captured the imaginations of his audience more
powerfully than any abstract presentation could. His parables are like buried
treasure waiting to be discovered (Matthew 13:44).
What can the parable about seeds and roots teach us about the
kingdom of God? Any farmer will attest to the importance of good soil for
supplying nutrients for growth. And how does a plant get the necessary food and
water it needs except by its roots? The Scriptures frequently use the image of
fruit-bearing plants or trees to convey the principle of spiritual life and
death. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the
Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the
stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is
not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit (Jeremiah
17:7-8; see also Psalm 1:3)
How do you listen to God's word?
Jesus' parable of the sower is aimed at the hearers of his word. There are different ways of accepting God's word and they produce different kinds of fruit accordingly. There is the prejudiced hearer who has a shut mind. Such a person is unteachable and blind to what he or she doesn't want to hear. Then there is the shallow hearer. He or she fails to think things out or think them through; they lack depth. They may initially respond with an emotional reaction; but when it wears off their mind wanders to something else.
Jesus' parable of the sower is aimed at the hearers of his word. There are different ways of accepting God's word and they produce different kinds of fruit accordingly. There is the prejudiced hearer who has a shut mind. Such a person is unteachable and blind to what he or she doesn't want to hear. Then there is the shallow hearer. He or she fails to think things out or think them through; they lack depth. They may initially respond with an emotional reaction; but when it wears off their mind wanders to something else.
Another type of hearer is the person who has many interests or
cares, but who lacks the ability to hear or comprehend what is truly important.
Such a person is too busy to pray or too preoccupied to study and meditate on
God's word. Then there is the one whose mind is open. Such a person is at all
times willing to listen and to learn. He or she is never too proud or too busy
to learn. They listen in order to understand. God gives grace to those who
hunger for his word that they may understand his will and have the strength to
live according to it. Do you hunger for God's word?
The refusal to believe and understand
Jesus told his disciples that not everyone would understand his parables. Did Jesus mean to say that he was deliberately confusing or hiding the meaning of his stories from his listeners? Very likely not. Jesus was speaking from experience. He was aware that some who heard his parables refused to understand them. It was not that they could not intellectually understand them, but rather, their hearts were closed to what Jesus was saying. They had already made up their minds to not believe. God can only reveal the secrets of his kingdom - that which is hidden to the spiritually blind - to those who hunger for God and humbly submit to his truth.
Jesus told his disciples that not everyone would understand his parables. Did Jesus mean to say that he was deliberately confusing or hiding the meaning of his stories from his listeners? Very likely not. Jesus was speaking from experience. He was aware that some who heard his parables refused to understand them. It was not that they could not intellectually understand them, but rather, their hearts were closed to what Jesus was saying. They had already made up their minds to not believe. God can only reveal the secrets of his kingdom - that which is hidden to the spiritually blind - to those who hunger for God and humbly submit to his truth.
What can makes us ineffective or unresponsive to God's word?
Preoccupation with other things can distract us from what is truly important
and worthwhile. And letting our hearts and minds be consumed with
material things can easily weigh us down and draw us away from the heavenly
treasure that lasts for eternity. God's word can only take root in a receptive
heart which is docile and ready to hear what God has to say.
How God's word takes root in us
The parables of Jesus will enlighten us if we approach them with an open mind and heart, ready to let them challenge us. If we approach them with the conviction that we already know the answer, then we, too, may look but not see, listen but not understand. God's word can only take root in a receptive heart that is ready to believe and willing to submit. Do you submit to God's word with trust and obedience?
The parables of Jesus will enlighten us if we approach them with an open mind and heart, ready to let them challenge us. If we approach them with the conviction that we already know the answer, then we, too, may look but not see, listen but not understand. God's word can only take root in a receptive heart that is ready to believe and willing to submit. Do you submit to God's word with trust and obedience?
One lesson from this parable is clear: the harvest is
sure to come. While some seed will fall by the wayside and some fall on
shallow ground and never come to maturity, and some be choked to death by the
thorns; nonetheless a harvest will come. The seed that falls on good soil, on
the heart that is receptive, will reap abundant fruit. God is always ready to
speak to each of us and to give us understanding of his word. Are you hungry
for his word? And do you allow anything to keep you from submitting to God's
word with joy and trusting obedience?
"Lord Jesus, faith in your word is the way to wisdom, and
to ponder your divine plan is to grow in the truth. Open my eyes to your deeds,
and my ears to the sound of your call, that I may understand your will for my
life and live according to it".
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A Seed Destined to Bear Fruit
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July 13, 2014, Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Matthew 13: 1-23
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the
sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat
there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things
in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed,
some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds
fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up
quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were
scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell
among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on
good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some
thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!" Then the disciples came and asked
him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" He answered, "To
you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to
them it has not been given. For to those who have, more will be given, and
they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they
have will be taken away. The reason I speak to them in parables is that
´seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they
understand.´ With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:
´You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but
never perceive. For this people´s heart has grown dull, and their ears are
hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look
with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart
and turn-- and I would heal them.´ But blessed are your eyes, for they see,
and your ears, for they hear. 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. Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone
hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes
and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the
path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the
word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but
endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account
of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among
thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and
the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was
sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who
indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty,
and in another thirty."
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe in you; I know that you are always watching over me and guiding me. I trust and hope in you, because I know you will never lead me astray, if only I listen to you and obey you. I love you for being so good and patient with me, and I desire to live each day more faithful to you.
Petition: Open my ears, Lord Jesus, so I can listen to and accept
your Word into my heart and so bear abundant fruit for you.
1. Listen! Twice in this Gospel passage, Jesus exhorts the crowds
to “Listen!” The fact is, today as then, it is hard for us to stop what we
are doing, put aside our prejudices, worries and preoccupations, and really
listen to God. But, how else can we hope to know God’s will for us? During
his earthly life, Jesus often – as in this passage – spoke in parables. He
wants us to make the effort to understand his message and apply it to our
lives. That is the first and essential step to make it possible for him to
enter our lives through the Word and transform us so we can bear fruit.
2. Blessed Are We: Jesus tells his disciples that they are blessed because
they see what they see and hear what they hear. We could feel that we are
less blessed, because we don’t see and hear Jesus directly. However, in a way
we are more blessed! The disciples in Jesus’ time had to struggle to
understand his message. It was a new and difficult teaching, and they were
the first to have to interpret, teach and apply this message. We have the
benefit of nearly two thousand years of saints and scholars who, with their
lives and writings, have explained and applied the Gospel. We have the Holy
Spirit that the disciples had not yet received when Jesus spoke these words.
We have the presence of Jesus himself in the Eucharist. We should be thankful
for all these gifts we have received and allow them to bear fruit in our
lives.
3. A Hundredfold: If we do listen to Jesus’ message, both in
Scripture and in the many indirect ways he manifests his will to us in our
lives, and if we appreciate what a gift this is, we must show our gratitude
with the way we live. We have to be the good soil that bears fruit a
hundredfold. That means not only growing in our own faith and living in
consonance with it, but also multiplying the gift by sharing it with others.
We can’t be satisfied with being good and not sinning; in order to be good
Christians, we have to spread the message in whatever ways are available to
us in our state of life. Every day we should ask ourselves: What have I done
today to spread the seeds of the Gospel?
Conversation with Christ: Thank you, Jesus, for all you have
given me! I’m sorry for the times I have not given you priority over other
things and have not listened to you or shared with others the gifts you’ve
given me. Help me to bear abundant fruit!
Resolution: I will spend some time with God today to examine my life
and see how I can both listen better and share God’s gifts more with others.
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FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, JULY 13, MATTHEW 13:1-23
(Isaiah 55:10-11; Psalm 65; Romans 8:18-23)
KEY VERSE: "But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it" (v 23).
READING: A parable (Hebrew, mashal) is an implied comparison, which is not always obvious. Once perceived it sheds new light on the subject. A parable designates a wide variety of literary forms: axioms, proverbs, similitudes and allegories. Jesus' parables were primarily stories that invited the hearer to search for the meaning of the truths he was teaching. Jesus was a wise teacher who used examples from everyday life to illustrate the deep mysteries of God's reign. In the parable of the sower, the seed of God's word was sown on unproductive soil. Most of the effort was wasted because many hearts were not prepared to understand the meaning of Jesus' message. Jesus told his disciples that they were blessed because they had been given the grace to comprehend his words. They must persevere in their task of proclaiming God's reign no matter how few accepted their message or rewarded them for their work. Jesus assured them of their ultimate success, comparing it to the enormous crop that would be produced by their labors. Ten times would have been more than any farmer would have expected, but thirty times, sixty times, and one hundred times was more than they could ever imagine!
REFLECTING: Do I persist in proclaiming the gospel when I am discouraged by the outcome?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, open my ears to your revealed truth.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Real Hope
Jesus died at age thirty-three. That’s not easy to do: It’s not
easy to die at any age. Yet to give His life over in trust for something
long-range, where it wasn’t going to pay off today, is the opposite of despair.
That’s what real hope is.
The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest
Large crowds gathered around Jesus by the lake.We’re all familiar with the parable of the sower, but there can always be something new to learn. Richard Leonard SJ says that this is a good sermon for reflecting on the environment. For many, the facts and figures of our degraded environment fall on deaf ears. They don’t want to change their lifestyle. For many there are other issues that demand their attention, while some hear and want to do whatever they can so the earth bears fruit for future generations. Jesus wanted people to go away and think about what he had said. Are we open to the wisdom and wonder of this lesson?
July
13
St. Henry
(972-1024)
St. Henry
(972-1024)
As German king and Holy Roman Emperor, Henry was a practical man
of affairs. He was energetic in consolidating his rule. He crushed rebellions
and feuds. On all sides he had to deal with drawn-out disputes so as to protect
his frontiers. This involved him in a number of battles, especially in the
south in Italy; he also helped Pope Benedict VIII quell disturbances in Rome.
Always his ultimate purpose was to establish a stable peace in Europe.
According
to eleventh-century custom, Henry took advantage of his position and appointed
as bishops men loyal to him. In his case, however, he avoided the pitfalls of
this practice and actually fostered the reform of ecclesiastical and monastic
life. He was canonized in 1146.
Comment:
All in all, this saint was a man of his times. From our standpoint, he may have been too quick to do battle and too ready to use power to accomplish reforms. But, granted such limitations, he shows that holiness is possible in a busy secular life. It is in doing our job that we become saints.
All in all, this saint was a man of his times. From our standpoint, he may have been too quick to do battle and too ready to use power to accomplish reforms. But, granted such limitations, he shows that holiness is possible in a busy secular life. It is in doing our job that we become saints.
Quote:
“We deem it opportune to remind our children of their duty to take an active part in public life and to contribute toward the attainment of the common good of the entire human family as well as to that of their own political community. They should endeavor, therefore, in the light of their Christian faith and led by love, to insure that the various institutions—whether economic, social, cultural or political in purpose—should be such as not to create obstacles, but rather to facilitate or render less arduous man’s perfecting of himself in both the natural order and the supernatural.... Every believer in this world of ours must be a spark of light, a center of love, a vivifying leaven amidst his fellow men. And he will be this all the more perfectly, the more closely he lives in communion with God in the intimacy of his own soul” (Blessed Pope John XXIII, Peace on Earth, 146, 164).
“We deem it opportune to remind our children of their duty to take an active part in public life and to contribute toward the attainment of the common good of the entire human family as well as to that of their own political community. They should endeavor, therefore, in the light of their Christian faith and led by love, to insure that the various institutions—whether economic, social, cultural or political in purpose—should be such as not to create obstacles, but rather to facilitate or render less arduous man’s perfecting of himself in both the natural order and the supernatural.... Every believer in this world of ours must be a spark of light, a center of love, a vivifying leaven amidst his fellow men. And he will be this all the more perfectly, the more closely he lives in communion with God in the intimacy of his own soul” (Blessed Pope John XXIII, Peace on Earth, 146, 164).
LECTIO DIVINA:
15TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (A)
Lectio:
Sunday, July 13, 2014
The parable of the seed
Matthew 13:1-23
Matthew 13:1-23
1. Opening prayer
Prayer is also the willingness to listen; it
is the suitable time for meeting with God. Today, the Sunday of the ‘sower’, we
would like to open our hearts to listen to the word of Jesus using the words of
St. John Chrysostom that we too may become docile and willing listeners of the
saving Word: «Grant, Lord, that I may listen attentively and remember
constantly your teaching, that I may put it into practice forcefully and
courageously, despising riches and avoiding the worries of a worldly life…
Grant me your strength and that I may meditate on your words putting down deep
roots and purifying me of all worldly perils» (St. John Chrysostom, A
Commentary on the Gospel according to Matthew 44:3-4).
2. Reading
a) the context:
Matthew places the parable of the seed along
with the events of the preceding chapters 11 and 12 where he mentions the
kingdom of God that suffers violence. The theme of our parable, as also of the
whole of the discourse in parables in chapter 13, is the kingdom of God.
The “house” whence Jesus leaves is the house where he lived in Capharnaum and where he is once more with his disciples (v.1: That same day, Jesus left the house) and his leaving is connected with the going out of the sower (v.3: a sower went out to sow). His “leaving” has as its physical or concrete berth the shore of the lake (v.1: he got into a boat and sat there); this moment recalls the time when Jesus had called his disciples (4,18), but, the sea is a place of passage to the pagan peoples, thus, it represents the border between Israel and the pagan world. The background of the discourse in parables is, then, the lake of Genesareth, called a “sea” according to the people. His leaving attracts the crowds. And while Jesus is sitting by the shore of the sea, he is surprised by the crowds coming to him, and is obliged to get into a boat. This boat becomes the chair of his teaching. Jesus turns to his listeners and “told them many things in parables” that is in a manner different from teaching or proclaiming.
The “house” whence Jesus leaves is the house where he lived in Capharnaum and where he is once more with his disciples (v.1: That same day, Jesus left the house) and his leaving is connected with the going out of the sower (v.3: a sower went out to sow). His “leaving” has as its physical or concrete berth the shore of the lake (v.1: he got into a boat and sat there); this moment recalls the time when Jesus had called his disciples (4,18), but, the sea is a place of passage to the pagan peoples, thus, it represents the border between Israel and the pagan world. The background of the discourse in parables is, then, the lake of Genesareth, called a “sea” according to the people. His leaving attracts the crowds. And while Jesus is sitting by the shore of the sea, he is surprised by the crowds coming to him, and is obliged to get into a boat. This boat becomes the chair of his teaching. Jesus turns to his listeners and “told them many things in parables” that is in a manner different from teaching or proclaiming.
b) The Text:
1 That same day, Jesus left the house and sat
by the lakeside, 2 but such large crowds gathered round him that he got into a
boat and sat there. The people all stood on the shore, 3 and he told them many
things in parables. He said, 'Listen, a sower went out to sow. 4 As he sowed,
some seeds fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5
Others fell on patches of rock where they found little soil and sprang up at
once, because there was no depth of earth; 6 but as soon as the sun came up they
were scorched and, not having any roots, they withered away. 7 Others fell
among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Others fell on rich
soil and produced their crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9
Anyone who has ears should listen!'
10 Then the disciples went up to him and asked, 'Why do you talk to them in parables?' 11 In answer, he said, 'Because to you is granted to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not granted. 12 Anyone who has will be given more and will have more than enough; but anyone who has not will be deprived even of what he has. 13 The reason I talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding. 14 So in their case what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah is being fulfilled: Listen and listen, but never understand! Look and look, but never perceive! 15 This people's heart has grown coarse, their ears dulled, they have shut their eyes tight to avoid using their eyes to see, their ears to hear, their heart to understand, changing their ways and being healed by me. 16 'But blessed are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear! 17 In truth I tell you, many prophets and upright people longed to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.
18 'So pay attention to the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom without understanding, the Evil One comes and carries off what was sown in his heart: this is the seed sown on the edge of the path. 20 The seed sown on patches of rock is someone who hears the word and welcomes it at once with joy. 21 But such a person has no root deep down and does not last; should some trial come, or some persecution on account of the word, at once he falls away. 22 The seed sown in thorns is someone who hears the word, but the worry of the world and the lure of riches choke the word and so it produces nothing. 23 And the seed sown in rich soil is someone who hears the word and understands it; this is the one who yields a harvest and produces now a hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty.'
10 Then the disciples went up to him and asked, 'Why do you talk to them in parables?' 11 In answer, he said, 'Because to you is granted to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not granted. 12 Anyone who has will be given more and will have more than enough; but anyone who has not will be deprived even of what he has. 13 The reason I talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding. 14 So in their case what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah is being fulfilled: Listen and listen, but never understand! Look and look, but never perceive! 15 This people's heart has grown coarse, their ears dulled, they have shut their eyes tight to avoid using their eyes to see, their ears to hear, their heart to understand, changing their ways and being healed by me. 16 'But blessed are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear! 17 In truth I tell you, many prophets and upright people longed to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.
18 'So pay attention to the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom without understanding, the Evil One comes and carries off what was sown in his heart: this is the seed sown on the edge of the path. 20 The seed sown on patches of rock is someone who hears the word and welcomes it at once with joy. 21 But such a person has no root deep down and does not last; should some trial come, or some persecution on account of the word, at once he falls away. 22 The seed sown in thorns is someone who hears the word, but the worry of the world and the lure of riches choke the word and so it produces nothing. 23 And the seed sown in rich soil is someone who hears the word and understands it; this is the one who yields a harvest and produces now a hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty.'
3. A moment of prayerful silence
In our busy way of acting, which leads to
exterior concerns, we feel the need to stop and calm down in silence… at such a
time we become receptive of the fire of the Word…
4. Interpreting the text
a) The action of the sower:
The parable speaks of a sower, not of a
peasant, and his activity is marked by the contrast between the loss of the
seeds (13, 4-7) and the abundant fruit (13, 8). Furthermore, we need to note
the difference between the wealth of the description of those who lose the
seeds and the concise form of the abundant fruit. But the number of failed and
disappointing experiences represented by the various forms of loss of seeds (on
the edge of the path…on patches of rock...among thorns...) is
contrasted with the great harvest that makes us forget the negative experiences
of the losses. Again, in the parable there is the time difference between the
initial phase of the sowing and the end phase which coincides with the fruit of
the harvest. If in the various attempts at sowing there is no fruit, such lack
brings to mind the Kingdom of God at the time of the great harvest. Jesus, the
sower, sows the word of the kingdom (13,19) which makes present the lordship of
God over the world, over people and that bears the final fruit. The parable has
such persuasive force as to bring the listener to trust in the works of Jesus,
which, while marked by failure or disappointment, will finally succeed.
b) Apart, Jesus communicates to the disciples
the reason for speaking in parables (13,10-17):
After telling the parable and before his
explanation (13,18-23) the disciples go up to Jesus (the verb “to go up to”
expresses the intimate relationship with Jesus) and put an explicit question to
him, they cannot see why Jesus speaks to the crowds in parables (v.10: Why
do you talk to them in parables?). The reply to their question is in v.13:
«...The reason I talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing
and listen without hearing or understanding». It is as if to say: the
crowds neither perceive nor understand. Jesus does not mean to force them to
understand. Indeed until now Jesus has spoken and acted clearly, but the crowds
have not understood; but, as the time has come for him to go on revealing his
message in all its radical nature – namely understanding – he has recourse to
the language of parables, which although more obscure may stimulate the crowds
to think more, to reflect on the obstacles that prevent their understanding of
the teachings of Jesus. This seems like a repetition of the times of Isaiah,
when the people were closed to the message of God (Is 6,9-10), and as such a
situation of refusal foreseen by biblical tradition repeats itself in the
crowds that “see-listen” but do not understand.
Compared to the crowd, the disciples hold a privileged position (13,11). Jesus shows this in the first part of his reply when he distinguishes between those included and those excluded from knowing the kingdom. The knowledge of the mysteries of God – that is God’s plan – is possible through the intervention of God and not through one’s own human efforts. The disciples are presented as those who understand Jesus’ parable not because they are more intelligent, but because it is he himself who explains his words to them.
The lack of understanding on the part of the crowds is the cause of his speaking in parables: they do not understand Jesus, thus they show clearly their obstinate incomprehension or better their inability to discern. The disciples, on the other hand, are declared blessed because they can see and listen.
Compared to the crowd, the disciples hold a privileged position (13,11). Jesus shows this in the first part of his reply when he distinguishes between those included and those excluded from knowing the kingdom. The knowledge of the mysteries of God – that is God’s plan – is possible through the intervention of God and not through one’s own human efforts. The disciples are presented as those who understand Jesus’ parable not because they are more intelligent, but because it is he himself who explains his words to them.
The lack of understanding on the part of the crowds is the cause of his speaking in parables: they do not understand Jesus, thus they show clearly their obstinate incomprehension or better their inability to discern. The disciples, on the other hand, are declared blessed because they can see and listen.
c) The explanation of the parable (13,18-23):
After Jesus expressed his reasons for speaking
in parables, he showed the fate of the word of the Kingdom in each of his
listeners. Although there are four kinds of soil listed, there are only two
types of listeners compared: those who listen to the Word and do not understand
it (13,19) and those who listen to the Word and understand (13, 23). It is
interesting to note that Matthew, in contrast with Mark, tells the story in the
singular. It is the personal commitment that is the benchmark of real listening
and true understanding. The first category of listeners shows that they listen
to the Word (19), but do not understand it. Understanding the Word here is not
to be understood on the intellectual level but on the wisdom level. It is
necessary to enter into its deep and saving meaning. In the second (13, 20-21)
the Word is heard and welcomed with joy. Such a welcome (lack of roots) becomes
unstable when the initial enthusiasm wears out, perhaps because of experiences
of suffering and persecution inevitable in every journey of faithful listening
to God.
The third possibility evokes material preoccupations that can choke the Word (13, 22). Finally the positive result: the seed lost in the threefold soil is compensated by the fruitful result. Briefly, the parable brings out three aspects of the act of active and persevering faith: listening, understanding and bearing fruit.
The third possibility evokes material preoccupations that can choke the Word (13, 22). Finally the positive result: the seed lost in the threefold soil is compensated by the fruitful result. Briefly, the parable brings out three aspects of the act of active and persevering faith: listening, understanding and bearing fruit.
5. Meditation for ecclesial practice
- What can the parable say to the Church of
today? Which soil does our ecclesial community represent? On the personal
level, what interior availability and understanding do we manifest in our
listening of the Word?
- Is it not true that the dangers Jesus pointed out to his disciples concerning the welcoming of the Word are relevant to us too? For instance, fickleness before difficulties, negligence, anxiety for the future, daily worries?
- The disciples were capable of asking Jesus, of questioning him about their worries and difficulties. On your journey of faith to the Word of God, to whom do you address your questions? The replies that Jesus communicates to us in our intimate and personal relationship with him, depend on the sort of question we ask.
- The figure of the sower recalls that of the Church in its commitment to evangelisation: to know how to communicate in a new way the person of Jesus and the values of the Gospel. The Church has to stand out for the authoritative character of its teaching, for its outspokenness and for the force of its actions. Today we need to be confident, eager and tireless evangelisers. Every ecclesial community is urged by the parable of the sower not to be selective of persons or social contexts for the proclamation of the Gospel; we must have a broad vision and dedicate ourselves, even in what seem to be impossible situations, to communicating the Gospel. Every pastoral action of evangelisation experiences a first moment of ephemeral enthusiasm, which, however, may be followed by a cold reaction and opposition. Pastoral attempts are comparable to the threefold attempt of the sower, in the end they are rewarded by the threefold harvest. It is certain that the word of Jesus buds and bears fruit in hearts open to his action, but we must not cease from shaking our sluggishness, our indecision and the hardness of hearing of many believers.
- Is it not true that the dangers Jesus pointed out to his disciples concerning the welcoming of the Word are relevant to us too? For instance, fickleness before difficulties, negligence, anxiety for the future, daily worries?
- The disciples were capable of asking Jesus, of questioning him about their worries and difficulties. On your journey of faith to the Word of God, to whom do you address your questions? The replies that Jesus communicates to us in our intimate and personal relationship with him, depend on the sort of question we ask.
- The figure of the sower recalls that of the Church in its commitment to evangelisation: to know how to communicate in a new way the person of Jesus and the values of the Gospel. The Church has to stand out for the authoritative character of its teaching, for its outspokenness and for the force of its actions. Today we need to be confident, eager and tireless evangelisers. Every ecclesial community is urged by the parable of the sower not to be selective of persons or social contexts for the proclamation of the Gospel; we must have a broad vision and dedicate ourselves, even in what seem to be impossible situations, to communicating the Gospel. Every pastoral action of evangelisation experiences a first moment of ephemeral enthusiasm, which, however, may be followed by a cold reaction and opposition. Pastoral attempts are comparable to the threefold attempt of the sower, in the end they are rewarded by the threefold harvest. It is certain that the word of Jesus buds and bears fruit in hearts open to his action, but we must not cease from shaking our sluggishness, our indecision and the hardness of hearing of many believers.
6. Psalm 65 (64)
You visit the earth and make it fruitful,
you fill it with riches;
the river of God brims over with water,
you provide the grain.
To that end
you water its furrows abundantly,
level its ridges,
soften it with showers and bless its shoots.
You crown the year with your generosity,
richness seeps from your tracks,
the pastures of the desert grow moist,
the hillsides are wrapped in joy,
the meadows are covered with flocks,
the valleys clothed with wheat;
they shout and sing for joy.
you fill it with riches;
the river of God brims over with water,
you provide the grain.
To that end
you water its furrows abundantly,
level its ridges,
soften it with showers and bless its shoots.
You crown the year with your generosity,
richness seeps from your tracks,
the pastures of the desert grow moist,
the hillsides are wrapped in joy,
the meadows are covered with flocks,
the valleys clothed with wheat;
they shout and sing for joy.
7. Closing prayer
Lord, your parable of the sower concerns each
one of us, the ways of our lives, the hardness of daily life, the difficulties
and the moments of softness that are part of our interior scene. We are all,
from time to time, sometimes path, rocks and thorns; but also good, fertile
soil. Deliver us from the temptation of negative forces that try to eliminate
the force of your Word. Strengthen our will when passing and changing emotions
render the seduction of your Word less efficacious. Help us to keep the joy
that our meeting with your Word creates in our hearts. Strengthen our hearts so
that in times of tribulation we may not feel defenceless and thus exposed to
discouragement. Grant us the strength to stand up to the obstacles we place to
your Word when the worries of the world come or when we are deceived by the
mirage of money, seduced by pleasure or by the vanity of appearances. Make us
good soil, welcoming persons, capable of rendering our service to your Word.
Amen!
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