23 September, 2023 | Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest

 Gospel Lk 8:4-15

Sow seeds of Hope

Gospel Text:

When a large crowd gathered, with people from one town after another

journeying to Jesus, he spoke in a parable.

"A sower went out to sow his seed.

And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path and was trampled,

and the birds of the sky ate it up.

Some seed fell on rocky ground, and when it grew,

it withered for lack of moisture.

Some seed fell among thorns,

and the thorns grew with it and choked it.

And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew,

it produced fruit a hundredfold."

After saying this, he called out,

"Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear."

Then his disciples asked him

what the meaning of this parable might be.

He answered,

"Knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God

has been granted to you;

but to the rest, they are made known through parables

so that they may look but not see, and hear but not understand.

"This is the meaning of the parable.

The seed is the word of God.

Those on the path are the ones who have heard,

but the Devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts

that they may not believe and be saved.

Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear,

receive the word with joy, but they have no root;

they believe only for a time and fall away in time of temptation.

As for the seed that fell among thorns,

they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along,

they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life,

and they fail to produce mature fruit.

But as for the seed that fell on rich soil,

they are the ones who, when they have heard the word,

embrace it with a generous and good heart,

and bear fruit through perseverance."

Reflections: 

Listen if you have ears to hear! Each day, we are blessed with the opportunity to hear the word of God. Yet, despite all this, we find ourselves wondering why we don't experience the desired change within us. The truth is, we must actively work towards transformation. It is not enough to possess good intentions or have the finest seed—the field in which we plant that seed matters greatly. So, let us make conscious efforts to make our hearts receptive and fertile. Just like a farmer tills the land before sowing seeds, let us plough our hearts, clearing away the obstacles and negativity, to create a more effective field for God's word to take root and flourish within us. Only then can we truly experience the profound change we seek.

Activity

Make a conscious effort to align your life with the teachings of God's word.