Saturday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

September 18, 2021

Deacon Anthony J. Cincotta

Saint Thomas the Apostle Church, Glen Mills, PA

Today's Readings:

1 Timothy 6:13-16

Psalm 100:2, 3, 4-5

Luke 8:4-15

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The parable of the sower of seeds is a very familiar story to us in today’s Gospel narrative of Saint Luke.  Parables are stories which are used to convey moral principles.  I remember my grandfather teaching me the importance of sowing seeds in good, fertile ground and nurturing what was planted and eventually yielding a crop.  In the same way Jesus teaches us how God plants the seed of His Holy Word in all of us.

The four conditions for the sowing of seed (path, rocky ground, thorns and good soil) all have something to say to us.  The sowing of seed is the planting of God’s Word in our life.  When we think of sowing the seed on the path or trail, we think about how easy it is to get into a habitual routine of placing one foot in front of the other on our life’s path without any thought or reflection as to how to live with a generous and pure heart.  When we think of the rocky ground, where Jesus said, that the seeds fell withered from a lack of moisture.  Here we must think about the need to have roots to keep balanced in times of need.  When emotion runs high, and we stumble on the rocks it is difficult for us to find evidence of a generous and pure heart.  As we know, thorns are particularly challenging and unpredictable in the garden.  They get caught in your socks and turn up when you least expect it.  Jesus spoke in the parable that seeds sown among the thorns may end up choked just as we can be caught up in the temptation(s) of everyday life.

How then do we plant seeds in rich soil where God’s Word can put down roots, thrive and grow and allow us to embrace it with a generous and pure heart?  For many, the challenge is to work towards being present in the moment and mindful in our everyday life.  While God may be present in all things in our life, if we are not aware and mindful of the presence, we are likely to like the seeds on the path, in the rocks or in the thorns.  Like a garden that needs to be tended to keep the soil rich, we too need to be mindful in preparing ourselves to hear, accept and act on God’s Word. 

Question of the Day:  How will you bear good fruit even though you may encounter the “rocky ground and thorny” moments of your life?

Prayer: “Blessed are they who have kept the Word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.”

Prosit!