DAILY- HOMILY

January 24, 2018 – WEDNESDAY, 3RD Week in Ordinary Time

St. Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Memorial. White.

2 Sm 7: 4- 17 / Mk 4: 1- 20

Born in Savoy, St. Francis de Sales (1567 - 1622), Bishop of Geneva, fought Calvinism vigorously. With St. Jane Frances de Chantal (1572 - 1641) he co­ founded the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary (1610). He was known for his writings on spiritual direction, especially his Introduction to the Devout Life.

FROM THE GOSPEL READING:       Mk 4: 2- 9

Jesus taught them many things through stories of parables. In his teaching he said. "Listen! The sower went out to sow. As he sowed, some of the seed fell along a path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some of the seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil; it sprang up immediately because it had no depth, but when the sun rose and burned it, it withered because it had no roots. Other seed fell among thorns-bushes and the thorns grew and choked it, so it didn't produce any grain.  But some seed fell on good soil, grew and increased and yielded grain; some produced thirty times as much, others sixty and others one hundred times as much."

And Jesus added, "Listen then, if you have ears."

REFLECTION

Jesus used the parable of the sower and the seed to give light to the kingdom of God which he had come to preach and initiate.  He hoped that the parable taken from the daily life and experiences of his listeners would help his audience understand the nature and growth of the kingdom of God among the people.

In the parable he stressed that the seed of God's word or message has to be received in fertile soil, in men and women with love of God and their fellow humans.

In order for God's word to grow, there is need to remove obstacles against its acceptance and growth: worldly enticements and allurements, lack of interest and doubts, lack of perseverance in the midst of difficulties and challenges, useless worries and concerns, living lives of fantasy rather than of reality.

These and other temptations will test the survival and growth of the seed that we receive. Human preparation to be fertile ground for the seed is needed: willingness to listen and pray, generosity to work for and with others, willingness to sacrifice for others as may be needed.  However, human efforts are not enough; eventually we need God's grace and help.

We can learn from the lives of saints and holy people how they have allowed the seed of God's word to grow and bear much fruit. Are we doing what must be done for us to bear fruit from hearing God's word to us? What prevents our bearing fruit for the fuller growth and spread of the Kingdom of God in us and in our time?

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 

     Gervin Jon & Maria Rosabel Kaw

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!

**************************************************

These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following: 

  +================================================+

   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

   |  distributed free and for personal use only.  

  +================================================+