Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
In today’s Gospel, we have the parable of the sower. The sower, Jesus, sows the seed of the word of the Kingdom, and it falls on four different places. It is important to note that all receive the seed, but only one has the right conditions to bear fruit. Jesus is generous in his sowing and gives freely to all, but we must prepare the ground of our hearts in order to not only receive the word of God but to nourish it and encourage the growth so that we will bear fruit and yield “a hundred, or sixty or thirtyfold.” How do we cultivate the soil of our hearts and souls to be prepared to receive the word of God? We must pray for grace to understand so that the evil one cannot steal it away. We ask for lasting joy and strength in trials so that the seed’s roots may grow deep into our hearts and sustain us in tribulations or persecutions. We need to ask for the grace to have the courage to trust fully in the things of heaven and not let worldly anxiety or the lure of riches choke us out so that we may bear fruit. We rely on Jesus not only to receive the seed of the Kingdom but also on his wisdom and strength to help cultivate our hearts in his love so that we become, through grace freely given, the rich soil that will bear fruit in abundance.
Reflection by Br. Placid Dale, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections