First Reading: Isaiah 55:10-11
Reflection:
In this passage and this Sunday’s Gospel reading we hear agricultural illustrations about the life of faith. In the First Reading from Isaiah, the Lord compares His word to the “rain and snow” that water the earth and bring forth life. Just as water allows the land to be “fertile and fruitful,” so the word of the Lord brings forth good fruit in our lives. God’s word never returns to him “void.” It always accomplishes His will. In other words, God’s word is powerful and effective. What comes from the mouth of God is not mere suggestions, it is the truth and it can transform our lives. The question then remains, what is our part? God speaks His word to us, but we must be open to receiving it. In other words, our hearts need to function as fertile soil, allowing the word of God to be planted in our hearts, grow, and bear much fruit. God wants to transform our lives. He desires for us to be fruitful in our spiritual lives and there is no doubt that He can make that happen. But will we let Him? Will we open up our hearts and allow His word to grow in us? Will we cultivate the soil of our hearts so it is fertile ground?
Second Reading: Romans 8:18-23
Reflection:
In this passage, the Apostle Paul speaks of the glory of heaven that we hope for with great anticipation. The goal of the Christian life is heaven. Heaven is not a fantasy, but a reality that will far outweigh our greatest expectations. As Paul explains, whatever sufferings and hardship we face now will be “nothing compared with the glory” to come in heaven. We now face the effects of living in a fallen world. Creation itself is affected by the presence of sin in the world. As a result of sin, there is suffering. But in heaven, sin will be wiped away and we will not experience the negative effects it has anymore. In the meantime, we wait and prepare. God is calling us to be with Him in heaven one day. But are we listening? We need to allow God’s grace to come into our lives and bear fruit, transforming us from sinners into saints. This journey is not always easy, as we must walk the way of the cross, experiencing suffering in this world that leads to resurrection and life. Because of the cross, suffering is not meaningless. It can be redeemed. Through Christ, our suffering has redemptive power now and for eternity. Jesus works in and through our sufferings and the corruption of this world to bring about the greatest of goods–the salvation of our souls. Nothing can compare to the glory we will experience. In fact, St. Paul says, “the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.” Wow! As we go about our lives, especially in the midst of sufferings, let us always keep in mind the goal of heaven and live with that eternal perspective in mind.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:1-23
Reflection:
This famous Parable of the Sower comes at the beginning of a string of parables in Matthew’s Gospel. It is unique in that we have Jesus’ own explanation of the meaning of the parable. Parables are short stories that teach a spiritual lesson. In the parables of Jesus, we should always ask, who or what do each of the characters and events represent? Without this understanding, the parables can often seem confusing and without any recognizable application to our lives. But when we have “ears to hear,” meaning we have the faith to understand, Jesus’ parables can teach us profound spiritual lessons. In this parable, the sower represents Jesus Himself. The seeds that He sows are the word of God. The different types of soil represent the hearts of people. In other words, the soil is us and what type of soil we are depends on how open we are to receiving the word of God. We should note here that Jesus is not selective in His sowing. He spreads the word of God to everyone. But whether or not the seed grows and bears fruit depends on the quality of the soil. In other words, whether or not God’s word will bear fruit in our lives depends on whether or not our hearts are fertile ground. Therefore, our part is to prepare our hearts to receive the word of God and be open to it transforming our lives. This can be a lifelong process. It is well worth it, because Jesus can bring great spiritual fruit from our lives if we let Him.
Application:
- What sufferings have you experienced (or are you experiencing now)? What corruption in the world has negatively impacted you recently? Remember that Jesus can bring good and redemption out of the worst of sufferings and corruption (just look to the cross). Take consolation in the words of St. Paul that “the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.”
- We all make goals in life. Maybe it is to have a certain career, make a certain amount of money, or visit a particular place. But have you made it your primary goal to go to heaven? That, in fact, should be the central goal of our lives, for everything else will pass away but where we spend eternity will last forever. We can’t get to heaven on our own, but if we allow God’s grace to transform us, making our hearts fertile ground in which good fruit can grow, He can transform us from sinners into saints.
