The WORD
today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/072016.cfm)
reminds me that my readiness to receive God's word affects its
effect.
My wife took subjects on
agriculture before we got married, back when we was still based in the
province. One interesting fact she shared was that there are different kinds of
soil. Not all will be conducive for plants and fruits. I thought any soil van be
used to grow trees and flowers. Hindi pala. It depends on the kind of
soil if the seeds will bear fruit. In the gospel today, Jesus uses this in the
context of spiritual growth and maturity.
The
sower went out to sow. He put out the same
seeds to the different soil.
It was the same sower, and
the same kind of seed. What was
different was the kind of soil that
received the seeds. And the kind of soil that received it had a huge
impact on what happened to the seeds.
The readiness and receptiveness of the soil determines what
will happen to the seeds.
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower.
We
all have the same bible. We all have the same God. We all experience the great,
unconditional and forgiving love of God through Jesus. However, we receive it
differently. Some chose to prioritize worldly riches over spiritual ones, some
allow stress and problems overwhelm us and take the focus away from God, some
allow the devil to take away what God gave us, while some keep everything in
their hearts and lives and allow God’s seeds of love to bear fruit in their
lives.
However,
I believe there is a little difference with us. The kind of soil was permanent.
Nothing could be dome to change it. But not with us. We may be kind of rocky or
shallow right now, but we don't need to be there forever. We can change our
kind of soil. We can improve. We can make the decision to be better, to exert
more effort, to be more ready and receptive. However, it works both ways. Even
if we may produce good fruit now, we should not be complacent. We should make
the continuous effort and decision to be fruitful.
May
we be challenged and inspired by the fact that God gave us all his love, his
word, his blessings and protection. May we prepare our hearts to receive him
and allow him to bear fruit through us. May we constantly do our best to be
productive and always bear good fruit for God.
Father God,
Thank you for
today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love
and serve you. Thank you for all the blessings you have been continuously
giving me. Thank you for the reminder and the challenge. Lord, sorry for the
times I just go with the flow. Sorry for not taking steps to improve my faith
and relationship with you that affect the fruits I produce. Likewise, Sorry for
the times I get overconfident and lose the effort to improve my relationship
with you. Help me prepare my heart to receive you all the time. Help me
to always be a good soil, that your word in my life may take effect. May I be
able to absorb it, give it its due importance, and allow you to bear fruit
through me. Amen.
Blessed
day!
In
Christ,
-g-
Ps
See
related reflections:
July 20, 2016
Wednesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 397
Reading 1 Jer 1:1, 4-10
The words of Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah,
of a priestly family in Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin.
The word of the LORD came to me thus:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated you,
a prophet to the nations I appointed you.
“Ah, Lord GOD!” I said,
AI know not how to speak; I am too young.”
But the LORD answered me,
Say not, “I am too young.”
To whomever I send you, you shall go;
whatever I command you, you shall speak.
Have no fear before them,
because I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.
Then the LORD extended his hand and touched my mouth, saying,
See, I place my words in your mouth!
This day I set you
over nations and over kingdoms,
To root up and to tear down,
to destroy and to demolish,
to build and to plant.
of a priestly family in Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin.
The word of the LORD came to me thus:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated you,
a prophet to the nations I appointed you.
“Ah, Lord GOD!” I said,
AI know not how to speak; I am too young.”
But the LORD answered me,
Say not, “I am too young.”
To whomever I send you, you shall go;
whatever I command you, you shall speak.
Have no fear before them,
because I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.
Then the LORD extended his hand and touched my mouth, saying,
See, I place my words in your mouth!
This day I set you
over nations and over kingdoms,
To root up and to tear down,
to destroy and to demolish,
to build and to plant.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5-6ab, 15 and 17
R. (see 15ab) I will sing of your salvation.
In you, O LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, and deliver me;
incline your ear to me, and save me.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
For you are my hope, O Lord;
my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth;
from my mother’s womb you are my strength.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
My mouth shall declare your justice,
day by day your salvation.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
In you, O LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, and deliver me;
incline your ear to me, and save me.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
For you are my hope, O Lord;
my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth;
from my mother’s womb you are my strength.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
My mouth shall declare your justice,
day by day your salvation.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;
all who come to him will live for ever.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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.
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;
all who come to him will live for ever.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mt 13:1-9
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.
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