What Kind of Terrain Are You?
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest”Ps. 65
The Lord speaks to us in the parable of the sower of different lands in which the seed of the word falls, in the stony, the full of briars and the good, in which, although it is good, in some it bears more fruit than in another, because the fruit does not depend only on the soil, but also on the care that is taken and other external factors., such as climate, predators, pests, etc., which could represent the different contexts in which we are, the fashions of the day, the cultures of each time and place,…
But the important thing for us is to ask ourselves what kind of terrain we are. For there are many external factors that are not in our hands and that we cannot change, we cannot change the fashions, the ideologies in vogue, or so many other material and cultural limitations of the world in which we live. The only thing that is under our direct responsibility is our own life, our mind and heart.
What do I let into my mind and heart? Thorns, plagues, weeds, tares and deceptions of the world and the evil one, ideologies invented by men, pagan indoctrination? Do I take care of my life by guarding it from all that? Do I work on my soul to remove the stones from my land? We are called to collaborate with divine action in our souls. The Holy Spirit wants to sanctify us and fill us with His Life, but He needs a little of our collaboration to remove everything that hinders our full openness to Him, to His graces and blessings.
How can we collaborate with his salvific, healing and reparative action in our souls? Identify the stones that hinder the reception of his word. Do you give yourself enough time to listen to Him, to meditate and understand His word? We have time for what we decide, for what we consider important. Surely there is a lot of time invested in things far less important than your spiritual growth and sanctification. Check where you can take that time to read listen and meditate on His Word and the preaching of His Church, for this is essential food for the life of the soul. The world is like the hard road, it does not want to receive the seed of God.
Perhaps we have to remove many obstacles or hindrances, stones that prevent me from making time for God, prejudices and deceptions that the devil or the world put in me so that I do not open myself to God anymore. Or attachments and addictions that take away my time in something that does not enrich me as God wants.
Also check what ideas or convictions you have let into your life, what doctrines, ideologies, what political parties, or what kind of books you let inform your life, what channels you choose to listen to and see,.. For there comes the lie, the darkness and tares of the world and the evil one to separate us from the truth and the divine life.
WE WANT TO BE LIKE THE GOOD GROUND OF THE PARABLE, in which God is pleased, because he gives fruit to his time, even if it is little, but he bears fruits of the Spirit, because he is in the light and works and collaborates with him to please God and be his true son.
Readings for the Week
Sunday: Is 55:10-11/Ps 65:1, 11, 12-13, 14 (Luke 8:8)/Rom 8:18-23/Mt 13:1-23 or 13:1-9
Monday: Ex 1:8-14, 22/Ps 124:1b-3, 4-6, 7-8/Mt 10:34-11:1
Tuesday: Ex 2:1-15a/Ps 69:3, 14, 30-31, 33-34/Mt 11:20-24
Wednesday: Ex 3:1-6, 9-12/Ps 103:1b-2, 3-4, 6-7/Mt 11:25-27
Thursday: Ex 3:13-20/Ps 105:1 and 5, 8-9, 24-25, 26-27/M 11:28-30
Friday: Ex 11:10-12:14/Ps 116:12-13, 15 and 16bc, 17-18/Mt 12:1-8
Saturday: Sg 3:1-4b or 2 Cor 5:14-17/Ps 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9/Jn 20:1-2, 11-18
Next Sunday: Wis 12:13, 16-19/Ps 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16 (5a)/Rom 8:26-27/
Observances for the Week
Sunday: 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Tuesday: St. Camillus de Lellis, Priest
Thursday: St. Apollinaris, Bishop and Martyr
Friday: St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Saturday: St. Mary Magdalene
Next Sunday: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time