Sunday, September 20, 2015

 

SATURDAY, 24th Week in Ordinary Time

September 19, 2015 SATURDAY, 24th Week in Ordinary Time    

St. Januarius, Bishop and Martyr

Green 

 

1 Tim 6:13 – 16 / Lk 8:4 - 15

 

[Born in Benevento, St. Januarius (d. 305) was martyred in Naples during the time of Diocletian.]

 

Reading: 1 Tim 6: 13 – 16

     Now, in the presence of God who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus who gave the good testimony before Pontius Pilate, I command you to keep the commandment. Keep yourself pure and blameless until the glorious coming of Christ Jesus, our Lord, which God will bring about at the proper time, he, the magnificent sovereign, King of kings and Lord of lords. To him, alone immortal, who lives in unapproachable light and whom no one has ever seen or can see, to him be honor and power for ever and ever. Amen!

 

Gospel: Lk 8: 4 - 15

     As a great crowd gathered and people came to him from every town, Jesus began teaching them through stories, or parables, "The sower went out to sow the seed. And as he sowed, some of the grain fell along the way, was trodden on and the birds of the sky ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and no sooner had it come up than it withered, because it had no water. Some fell among thorns; the thorns grew up with the seed and choked it. But some fell on good soil and grew, producing fruit – a hundred times as much." And Jesus cried out, "Listen then, if you have ears to hear!"

     The disciples asked him, "What does this story mean?" And Jesus answered, "You have been granted to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to others it is given in the form of stories, or parables, so that seeing they may not perceive and hearing they may not understand." 

     Now, this is the point of the parable:

     The seed is the word of God. Those along the wayside are people who hear it, but immediately the devil comes and takes the word from their minds, for he doesn't want them to believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are people who receive the word with joy, but they have no root; they believe for a while and give way in time of trial. Among the thorns are people who hear the word but as they go their way, are choked by worries, riches, and the pleasures of life; they bring no fruit to maturity. The good soil, instead, are people who receive the word and keep it in a gentle and generous mind, and persevering patiently, they bear fruit.

 

Reflection:

     Jesus was a great story-teller; he made use of the common life of the people, "You have been granted to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to others it is given in the form of stories, or parables, so that seeing they may not perceive and hearing they may not understand." 

     The parable of the sower and the seed tells us how the word of God is received by people, comparing the reception and response of people to the way seeds sown on various soils and environments prospered or died.

     Obviously all of us wish to be like the seed which fell on good soil, grew and produced fruit a hundred-fold. Our Lord explained that "the good soil are people who receive the word and keep it in a gentle and generous mind, and persevering patiently, they bear fruit."

     Are we people like those who our Lord said bore good and plentiful fruit?

     Or are we people, like the wayside, who do not even have the patience to listen to God's word or like rocky ground "who receive the word . . .  but they have no root, they believe for a while and give way in time of trial" or, like among thorns, "who hear the word but as they go their way, are choked by worries, riches, and the pleasures of life; they bring no fruit to maturity." 

We hear God's word in many ways: in Church and at various talks and gatherings, in our own reading and study of the Scriptures, in private prayer and through the Spirit in the silence of our own hearts, in our dealings with and from the example of others. May we hear it, cherish it and live it with patience and perseverance. 

 

 

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

 

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     HENRY TANG

     PACITA P. YU (AUG 31, 1947 – SEP 19, 2011)

 

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

 

Have a good day!

 

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