We Are Sowers, Not Harvesters
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.”Ps. 147
It is about sowing the good seed, not demanding or expecting good fruits from others. Worry and occupy yourself only with what comes from you, not with what comes from others. Try to be a good influence for everyone and focus on what God asks of you. This can be said to be part of the healthy penance or daily cross that we all must bear in this world, a consequence of sin.
It is very easy to demand that others bear good fruit, but we must be careful not to fall into the same trap as the Pharisees whom Jesus criticized for this very thing. They put heavy burdens on the shoulders of others, but they themselves do not lift a finger. Do what they say, but not what they do, because they say it but do not do it. It is very easy to fall into this, as we can know very well what needs to be done and ask others to do it, but not have made the effort to live it ourselves.
“The life of man on earth is a struggle and a warfare”Job 7
We all need to make both theoretical and practical learning, to preach not only with words but also by example. I can excel in my theoretical medical exams, but if I do not practice it, maybe I still do not know how to do it. Who would let their heart be opened by someone who scored the highest grade in exams but has never performed a surgery in practice?
In this life, we cannot demand fruits from others, even if we give them ourselves, because we do not know at what stage each person is, at what spiritual level, whether in kindergarten or elementary or high school. We do not know everything they carry, what is influencing them, nor do we know how many talents they have received, and therefore, we do not know how much we can ask of them. We often ask for pears from an elm tree, that is, we demand from others what they cannot give us, or do not know, or do not want.
We can propose, but not impose. We must be like water and respect the limits of life, and even more so, the limits of people, not demanding or forcing. Always with Christian charity to evangelize, teach, advise, correct, and practice all works of mercy with our neighbor, but knowing that we cannot impose anything on them or demand fruits, because we do not know if they can or cannot bear those fruits, and we do not know the time each one requires to bear them.
Our task is to limit ourselves to sow the good seed of the kingdom and wait for the Holy Spirit to make each one sprout and bear fruit according to their own capacities and charisms.
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Woe to me if I do not evangelize! It is a duty entrusted to me.”Galatians 6:7
Weekly Readings
Sunday: Jb 7:1-4, 6-7/Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 (see 3а)/1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23/Mk 1:29-39
Monday: 1 Kgs 8:1-7, 9-13/Ps 132:6-7, 8-10/Mk 6:53-56
Tuesday: 1 Kgs 8:22-23, 27-30/Ps 84:3, 4, 5 and 10, 11/Mk 7:1-13
Wednesday: 1 Kgs 10:1-10/Ps 37:5-6, 30-31, 39-40/Mk 7:14-23
Thursday: 1 Kgs 11:4-13/Ps 106:3-4, 35-36, 37 and 40/Mk 7:24-30
Friday: 1 Kgs 11:29-32; 12:19/Ps 81:10-11ab, 12-13, 14-15/Mk 7:31-37
Saturday: 1 Kgs 12:26-32; 13:33-34/Ps 106: 6-7ab, 19-20, 21-22/Mk 8:1-10
Next Sunday: Lv 13:1-2, 44-46/Ps 32:1-2, 5, 11 (7)/1 Cor 10:31-11:1/Mk 1:40-45
Observances for the Week
Sunday: 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Monday: St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr
Tuesday: St. Paul Miki and Companions,Martyrs
Thursday: St. Jerome Emiliani; St. Josephine Bakhita, Virgin
Saturday: St. Scholastica, Virgin
Next Sunday: 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, World Marriage Day