Homily for Wednesday sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 20th July, 2022

 Readings: Jer. 1:1.4-10; Ps. 71; Matt:13:1-9

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LET THE SEED OF GOD’S WORD BLOSSOM IN YOUR HEART SO THAT WE CAN BEAR FRUIT ABUNTANTLY 

Those who are into farming understands very well how a healthy seed blossoms on a fertile soil. Little wonder Jesus in the parable of the sower decided to use this great farming mechanism to explain the relationship between the Word of God and the human heart. Because the Word of God is to the human heart what a healthy seed is to the soil. 

In this parable Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Imagine a sower going out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on patches of rock where they found little soil and sprang up straight away, because there was no depth of earth; but as soon as the sun came up they were scorched and, not having any roots, they withered away. Others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Others fell on rich soil and produced their crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Listen, anyone who has ears!’

Here, Jesus used the parable of the sower to describe different kind of response to God's Word for there are four obstacles that can distract us from making our hearts a fertile soil. These obstacles include: shallow mindedness, hardened heart, worldly desires and finally, trails and persecutions. Most people fall in some, if not in all of these obstacles. But what about the good soil? These are those who made their hearts a fertile soil through love and purity of heart which helped them to hear the Word of God and understands it, and indeed bears fruit and yield an abundant harvest of hundred, sixty and thirty folds. Our Mother Mary is a good example of such people. 

Therefore, the different kinds of ground on which the seed falls represent the different ways in which we receive the Word of God, just like prophet Jeremiah in our first reading today who made his heart a fertile soil for the word of God. Hence, we heard the Lord saying to him: I am putting my words into your mouth. Look, today I am setting you over nations and over kingdoms, to tear up and to knock down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant

Dear friends, today Jesus Christ gives us all the wonderful and beautiful Words of life, wooing us to heaven, are we disposed to letting his word blossom in our souls? Remember, our hearts are the fields in which the Word of God is scattered, to which do our hearts belong: the path way, the rocky ground, the thorns or the good soil. Whichever one, we are called to pay attention and take some time to appreciate and dispose our hearts more, so that God’s Word may find a root in us. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, each and every one of us have received the seeds of your Words, give us grace to remain open to receiving your Word, so that it will blossom in our souls and bear fruit abundantly. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.