Good Soil

The WORD today reminds me that I should prepare my heart to be a good soil for God’s seeds. 

God created everything and he is all powerful. He has power over the weather and the circumstances in life. He allows things to happen, and prevents things from happening to protect his people. However, there is only one thing he does not have control over – our free will. God loves us so much that he gave us free will to decide what we want to do, how we want to live, what we want to happen.

You decide if you will accept God or not. 

In the gospel, we see that the sower went out to sow. He put out the same seeds to different kinds of soil. It was the same sower, and the same kind of seed. What was different was the kind of soil that received the seeds. This produced different results on the seed. 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.

In the first reading, we see God calling us back. No matter how much we sin and hurt him, he is calling us back to him. Not only that, he will send us shepherds to guide us to remain faithful to Him. This is one thing we need to do to prepare our hearts to receive God. This is what we should do so our hearts would become good soils, that would accept God and produce fruits for Him. 

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. 

In the world we are living in, everyone is affected. The pandemic is affects everyone. And God’s call is for everyone. His blessings are there. Opportunities to help are there. We just need to make the decision - to be a good soil or not. We all have worries and concerns. We may fear. But we are all given the opportunity to be a good soil for God. 

What kind of soil am I? How do I receive God’s word? How do I treat it? How do I respond? What can I do to make my heart a good soil for God? How can I produce blessings and fruits for God? How can I be a good soil, especially in this time of pandemic? 

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.

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. Sorry for the times I let the world or the devil take your word away from my heart. Sorry for the times I worry too much or focus too much on worldly things that I keep you in the background. Sorry for not preparing my heart to be a good soil for you.   Help me prepare my heart to receive you Lord. Help me be 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. Use me to bear fruits for your kingdom and for your glory. Amen

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

July 24, 2020

Friday of Week 16; St. Sharbel Makhlouf

FIRST READING

Jeremiah 3:14-17

Return, rebellious children, says the LORD, for I am your Master; I will take you, one from a city, two from a clan, and bring you to Zion. I will appoint over you shepherds after my own heart, who will shepherd you wisely and prudently. When you multiply and become fruitful in the land, says the LORD, They will in those days no longer say, “The ark of the covenant of the LORD!” They will no longer think of it, or remember it, or miss it, or make another. 

At that time they will call Jerusalem the LORD’s throne; there all nations will be gathered together to honor the name of the LORD at Jerusalem, and they will walk no longer in their hardhearted wickedness.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12abcd, 13 

R. (see 10d) The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock. 

Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, proclaim it on distant isles, and say: He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together, he guards them as a shepherd his flock. 

R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock. 

The LORD shall ransom Jacob, he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror. Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion, they shall come streaming to the LORD’s blessings: The grain, the wine, and the oil, the sheep and the oxen. 

R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock. 

Then the virgins shall make merry and dance, and young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will console and gladden them after their sorrows. 

R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

ALLELUIA

See Luke 8:15

R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL

Matthew 13:18-23

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Hear 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.”