Qua Phúc Âm, Chúa Giêsu nói với các môn đệ và dân chúng về dụ ngôn người gieo giống. Người gieo giống gieo hạt ở khắp mọi nơi trong ruộng của mình, nhưng không thể biết được những kết quả về việc gieo giống của mình. Một số lớn các hạt giống có thể bị lãng phí vì vương vãi trên những vùng đất cứng có hay đá sỏi.
Một số người trong chúng ta đã nói rằng Chúa Giêsu nói dụ ngôn này để khuyến khích những người theo Chúa. Ngài biết rằng, cũng giống như các Tiên Tri Ngày xưa và như Ngài, họ sẽ phải đối mặt với sự nhạo báng, bị chối bỏ và thậm chí bị bắt bớ giam cầm trong việc loan báo Tin Mừng. Có lúc, họ sẽ phải đối mặt với sự chán nản khi những gì họ gieo vãi dường như không có hiệu quả. Vì số lượng lớn hạt giống của họ gieo có thể bị lãng phí, nhưng sự thành công và sự phong phú của các hạt giống được đảm bảo.
Như chúng ta thấy trong thế giới của chúng ta đang sống, chúng ta đã chứng kiến quá nhiều việc gian ác, thù hận ngay trước mắt, vì vậy đó là nhiệm vụ của chúng ta là phải gieo những hạt giống tốt đó tình yêu và sự tha thứ. Bằng cách làm như vậy, chúng ta sẽ chứng minh được lòng trung thành của chúng ta đối với Thiên Chúa. Muốn được trung thành với Thiên Chúa chúng ta cần phải biết cố gắng để bắt chước sự tốt lành của Ngài, để nói với mọi người về sự hiện hữu của Ngài và chúng ta phải biết bảo vệ bênh vực những người thấp hèn và những người bị áp bức. Cũng giống như Chúa Giêsu, cho dù có nhiều nhà lãnh đạo tôn giáo và chính trị phản đối các việc tốt chúng ta làm, hay chúng ta gặp phải những sự đáp ứng không mấy tốt đẹp nơi mọi người, Chúng ta hãy bày tỏ sự tin tưởng rằng Thiên Chúa sẽ thấy sự chiến thắng trong vương quốc của Ngài và những chiến công của chúng ta trong sự chiến thắng đó. Lạy Chúa, giúp chúng con trung thành trong viện loan báo Tin Mừng.
Reflection Wednesday 16th Ordinary Time
In the Gospel, Jesus preaches the parable of the sower. The sower casts the seeds everywhere in the field, but is unable to tell what may be the result of his sowing. A great number of seed may seem wasted. Bible commentators say that Jesus told this parable to encourage his followers. He knew that, like him, they will face ridicule, rejection and even persecution when proclaiming the Good News. They will face discouragement when what they sow does not seem to bear fruit. Yes, a great number of seed may seem wasted, yet the success and abundance of the seed is assured. There is so much evil, and vengeance in the world, so it is our duty to sow seeds of goodness, love and forgiveness. By doing so, we show our faithfulness to our God. To be faithful to God is to try to imitate his goodness, to tell people about his existence and to defend the oppressed and the lowly. Despite much opposition from religious and political leaders, and poor response from the people, Jesus expresses confidence that God will see to the triumph of his kingdom and of its proclamation. Lord, help me faithfully proclaim the Good News.
Wednesday 16th Ordinary Time 2023
On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables… Matthew 13:1–3
Why did Jesus speak in parables? In today’s Gospel, Jesus goes on to teach the familiar “Parable of the Sower.” Immediately after that parable in today’s Gospel, the disciples do ask Jesus this question. They ask, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” Jesus responds to them, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.” So why is that?
First of all, a story is easy to listen to. It keeps our attention and is easily remembered. In the “Parable of the Sower” that we hear today, Jesus explains that the seed sown by the sower falls either on the path, on rocky ground, among thorns, or on rich soil. This is a very visible description that will lead people to conclusions right away. Everyone knows that the ideal place for seed to be sown is rich soil. And everyone knows that the seed sown on the path, rocky ground and among thorns has little hope of producing fruit. Therefore, this parable easily draws the listener in so as to understand some basic lessons.
With that said, this story will only become a parable if the deeper lesson is learned. Clearly, Jesus wanted the crowd to understand that they will only understand the mysteries He is teaching them if they are like the rich soil. And He also wanted them to understand that much of what He was teaching them was not falling on rich soil in their hearts.
This parable, as well as all of Jesus’ parables, has the effect of causing the listener to think. Thinking leads to what we may term a holy curiosity. And this holy curiosity will begin to produce the rich soil that was needed within them so as to open the door to the deeper mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven.
How does Jesus speak to you? Are you able to listen to Jesus speak directly to you, in prayer, so as to reveal to you the deepest mysteries of Heaven? When God speaks to you, in prayer and meditation, does the seed of His Word take root in your very soul? Does His gentle, quiet but transforming Voice communicate to you Who He is and what His will is for your life? If not, then parables are for you. And knowing that is an important discovery.
Reflect, today, upon the desire of God to speak to you. If you do struggle with hearing the clear and profound Voice of God resonate within your soul, then do not be afraid to spend time with the many parables that Jesus told. Try to place yourself within the scene. See yourself as a participant. In today’s parable, see your inner self as the field. Think about those things in your life that keep your soul from being rich soil. Allow this story of Jesus to speak to you. As you do, be attentive to God’s Voice. Listen for Him and listen to Him. And as you do hear Him, know that the seed He has scattered has begun to reach that rich soil of your heart.
My teaching Lord, You desire to speak to me and to reveal to me all that You are. Help me to hear Your Voice so that I will come to know You more. Make my heart truly fertile soil in which the seed of Your Word is sown, so that You can produce within me an abundance of good fruit. Jesus, I trust in You.
Wednesday 16th Ordinary Time 2024
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you sent your Son into the world to sow the good seed of the Kingdom. I want my heart to be rich soil that welcomes the seed of your Word and produces supernatural fruit for the Kingdom. Soften my heart if it is hard and stubborn, remove any rocky obstacles, and cleanse it of any weeds or thorns.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah: We begin reading the Book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah served the Lord and his people for more than forty years, from 627 B.C. to around 582 B.C. He served from the reign of the good King Josiah to the time after the fall of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. He was from a priestly family and was called by God in the thirteenth year of the reign of King Josiah. He did not see a vision of God’s glory like the prophet Isaiah, but rather entered into prayerful dialogue with God and understood his prophetic mission. In his dialogue with God, Jeremiah immediately recognized his limitations. He thought he was too young and inexperienced. The Lord tells him not to be afraid, for he will deliver him. The Lord touched Jeremiah's mouth and put his words in the prophet’s mouth. This powerful word will overthrow nations, destroying what existed and planting the seeds of new life (Duggan, The Consuming Fire, 294). Jeremiah teaches us the great truth that God knows each one of us from eternity. He knows us even before we are conceived in the womb. He has a plan for each one of us. It is a plan that is greater than we are able to imagine. This fact does not mean that we will not suffer in life. Jeremiah’s life, for example, was full of suffering on account of God's word. The knowledge that God watches over each one of us, fills us with hope and trust in God. We depend on him from birth and he is our strength. Our task is to declare his justice and salvation to all men and women. We should not fear since the words we speak are God's words, and the strength we enjoy is of divine origin.
2. The Parable of the Sower: In the Gospel of Matthew, we hear the first of a series of parables about the Kingdom of Heaven, the Parable of the Sower. Jesus will later explain that the parable is about the sowing of the word of the Kingdom and how those who hear the word of the Kingdom receive it. Some of those who hear the word do not understand it (symbolized by the path), others welcome it superficially (rocky ground), others are distracted by the world (thorns), others understand it and bear fruit, some thirty-fold, some sixty-fold, others one hundredfold. Jeremiah was a young man when he heard the word of God. We can say that he was like good soil and bore fruit for the Lord, probably one hundredfold. He sought to understand the word; he allowed it to enter deep into his heart and transform his way of life; and he didn't let worldly anxiety choke the word he was given.
3. The Kingdom in the Next Seven Parables: The seven parables that follow will continue to reveal different dimensions of the mystery of the kingdom, first explaining the difference between the children of the kingdom (good seed) and the children of the evil one (bad seed), then, how the kingdom grows (from a small seed to a large plant), third, how the kingdom transforms (yeast in dough), fourth, how the kingdom is not revealed to all (the hidden treasure), fifth, how the kingdom is worth more than everything else (the pearl of great price), sixth, how the separation of the righteous and the wicked will not take place until the end of the age (dragnet), and finally, how they are men who are instructed in the kingdom of heaven (the head of a household who brings out both new and old).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, do not let me become indifferent to your Word, or succumb under trial, or be overcome by the anxieties of this passing world. I need your grace, your Word, and your Spirit to produce good and abundant fruit that will last.
Wednesday 16th Ordinary Time 2023
ntroductory Prayer: Lord, my prayer will “work” only if I have humility in your presence. So I am approaching you with meekness and humility of heart. I have an infinite need for you and your grace. Thinking about this helps me grow in humility. I trust in you and your grace. Thank you for the unfathomable gift of your love.
Petition: Lord, may I always respond to your grace in my heart with enthusiasm and active love.
1. Tears of a Sower: Imagine Jesus preaching to the crowds, hoping for a positive response, but instead witnessing many people turning a deaf ear to his message of salvation. One day he is thinking about this as he watches a farmer sowing seed. He sees birds come immediately and take some away. He sees previously sown seed scorched by the sun. He sees some sprouts strangled by weeds. He then remembers the faces and perhaps even the names of people who heard his message, but who chose not to respond or whose response was short-lived. We are reminded of another Gospel passage: “As he drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, saying ‘If this day you only knew what makes for peace -- but now it is hidden from your eyes’” (Luke 19:41).
2. Rebellion or Rest: The admonition to heed the word of God is frequent in Scripture. In the Book of Hebrews the author warns us to “harden not your hearts as at the rebellion in the day of testing in the desert.” The people of Israel responded in this unfortunate way after the exodus from Egypt. “They have always been of erring heart, and they do not know my ways. As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter into my rest’” (Cf. Hebrews 3: 7-11). This helps us foster a healthy fear of the Lord, encouraging us to work hard to conquer all hardness of heart and remain close to Christ to enter into his rest.
3. Fruits of Virtue: “But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirty-fold.” The fruit that Our Lord wishes us to produce are virtues inspired by faith, hope, and love. If we are growing in virtue each day in imitation of Christ and for love of him, we can be sure we are heeding his voice and are pleasing in his eyes. The greatest of all virtues is charity, practical and effective love for our neighbor. We can contemplate the lives of the saints to see how these fruits are played out in a way truly pleasing to Christ.
Conversation with Christ: Lord, you know how easy it is for me to allow mediocrity to slip into my life. The cares and worries of life often push you and your kingdom to a secondary plane. Grant me the habit of carving out time for you in prayer each day, and carving out space for you in my life and the lives of those under my care.
Resolution: I will renew my effort with whatever prayer commitment I have allowed to waver or falter the most.
Reflection Wednesday 16th Ordinary Time
In the Gospel, Jesus preaches the parable of the sower. The sower casts the seeds everywhere in the field, but is unable to tell what may be the result of his sowing. A great number of seed may seem wasted. Bible commentators say that Jesus told this parable to encourage his followers. He knew that, like him, they will face ridicule, rejection and even persecution when proclaiming the Good News. They will face discouragement when what they sow does not seem to bear fruit. Yes, a great amount of seed may seem wasted, yet the success and abundance of the seed is assured.
There is so much evil, and vengeance in the world, so it is our duty to sow seeds of goodness, love and forgiveness. By doing so, we show our faithfulness to our God. To be faithful to God is to try to imitate his goodness, to tell people about his existence and to defend the oppressed and the lowly.
Despite much opposition from religious and political leaders, and poor response from the people, Jesus expresses confidence that God will see to the triumph of his kingdom and of its proclamation.
Lord, help me faithfully proclaim the Good News.
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