Readings: Exo.16:1-5.9-15; Ps. 78; Matt:13:1-9
Rev.
Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.
DO NOT
LET THE THORNS OF LIFE CHOKE THE WORD OF GOD IN YOUR HEART
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 uses 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. For Mary was a wonderful seed sown in the fertile soil of SS. Joachim
and Anne's family, whose memorial we celebrate today. For they were entrusted
with the task of nurturing and bringing up Mary as a great instrument for God’s
salvation for humanity.
Thus,
today we celebrate these two great saints for their dedication and commitment
towards the nurturing and bringing up Mary to be Immaculate and pure, worthy to
be the vessel of our salvation in Christ. They played their role as the
guardians and parents of Mary, that she grew in faith and love for the Lord. In
a similar way we are also entrusted with different responsibilities, persons
and missions that seems very little as mustard seed, but have we made our soul
a fertile ground for it to grow? Are we nurturing them to grow into great trees
for God’s Kingdom?
Dear
friends, today Lord Jesus gives us this wonderful and beautiful parable of life,
are we disposed to letting his word blossom in our souls? Or are we like the
people of Israel who in our first reading today complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness because of
little challenges of life and decided to go back to their old ways of life in
Egypt, for thorns of life has made them to hardened their hearts against God
and his Prophets.
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
just like SS. Joachim and Anne, 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.
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