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Posted on 07/12/2014 7:44:59 PM PDT by Salvation
July 13, 2014
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 Is 55:10-11
Thus says the LORD:
Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
and do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
so shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
my word shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14
R/ (Lk 8:8) The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
You have visited the land and watered it;
greatly have you enriched it.
God’s watercourses are filled;
you have prepared the grain.
R/ The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
Thus have you prepared the land: drenching its furrows,
breaking up its clods,
Softening it with showers,
blessing its yield.
R/ The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
You have crowned the year with your bounty,
and your paths overflow with a rich harvest;
The untilled meadows overflow with it,
and rejoicing clothes the hills.
R/ The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
The fields are garmented with flocks
and the valleys blanketed with grain.
They shout and sing for joy.
R/ The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
Reading 2 Rom 8:18-23
Brothers and sisters:
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing
compared with the glory to be revealed for us.
For creation awaits with eager expectation
the revelation of the children of God;
for creation was made subject to futility,
not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it,
in hope that creation itself
would be set free from slavery to corruption
and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;
and not only that, but we ourselves,
who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
we also groan within ourselves
as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
Gospel Mt 13:1-23
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, saying:
“A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,
and when the sun rose it was scorched,
and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.
But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
The disciples approached him and said,
“Why do you speak to them in parables?”
He said to them in reply,
“Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven
has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.
To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;
from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
This is why I speak to them in parables, because
they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.
Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:
You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts and be converted,
and I heal them.
“But blessed are your eyes, because they see,
and your ears, because they hear.
Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people
longed to see what you see but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
“Hear then the parable of the sower.
The seed sown on the path is the one
who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it,
and the evil one comes and steals away
what was sown in his heart.
The seed sown on rocky ground
is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy.
But he has no root and lasts only for a time.
When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word,
he immediately falls away.
The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word,
but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word
and it bears no fruit.
But the seed sown on rich soil
is the one who hears the word and understands it,
who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”
or Mt 13:1-9
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, saying:
“A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,
and when the sun rose it was scorched,
and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.
But some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit,
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
--St. Francis of Assisi
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Just A Minute (Listen) Some of EWTN's most popular hosts and guests in a collection of one minute inspirational messages. A different message each time you click. |
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The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.
Amen. |
Saint Henry
Optional Memorial
July 13th
Jesus crowned King Henry II
Two angels hold with Him the holy lance and the sword, two holy ones --
St. Ulrich of Augsburg and St. Emmeram of Regensburg support Henry's arms.
Artist unknown
(973-1024) He became Emperor Henry II in 1002 and then Holy Roman Emperor in 1014. He used his power to extend the Kingdom of God by promoting missionary work.
Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003
Collect:
O God, whose abundant grace prepared Saint Henry
to be raised by you in a wonderful way
from the cares of earthly rule to heavenly realms,
grant, we pray, through his intercession,
that amid the uncertainties of this world
we may hasten towards you with minds made pure.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.
First Reading: Micah 6:6-8
"With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Gospel Reading: Matthew 7: 21-27
"Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.'
"Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it."
Feast Day: July 13
Born: May 6, 972, Bavaria, Germany
Died: July 13, 1024, Gottingen, Germany
Canonized: 1146 by Pope Eugene III
Major Shrine: Bamberg Cathedral
Patron of: against sterility, Benedictine Oblates, childless people, disabled people, dukes, kings, people rejected by religious orders
St. Henry II
Feast Day: July 13
Died: 1024
Henry was born at Albach, Hildesheim in Bavaria. He was the son of Gisella of Burgundy and Henry II, the Duke of Bavaria. When he was a boy, he studied at the cathedral school in Hildesheim and was taught by bishop Wolfgang of Regensburg. Henry wanted to become a priest, but after his father’s death, Henry was made Duke of Bavaria.
One night he had an unusual dream. St. Wolfgang, his beloved teacher, appeared to him. Wolfgang pointed to the words, "after six" written on the wall. What could that mean? Perhaps Henry was to die in six days? So he prayed with great feeling for six days but at the end of the six days, however, he was in perfect health.
Perhaps it meant six months? The duke devoted himself to doing good more than ever. At the end of six months, he was even healthier than before. So he decided he had six years to get ready for death. But instead of dying after six years, he was elected emperor of Germany. Then he understood what the dream had meant.
Henry worked hard to keep his people happy and at peace. To defend justice he had to fight many wars. He was honest in battle and insisted that his armies followed his example. Henry married a very gentle and loving woman named Cunegundes (or Kunigunda). She, too, has been proclaimed a saint.
Henry and Cunegundes went to Rome in 1014, where they were crowned emperor and empress of the Holy Roman Empire. It was a great honor because Pope Benedict VIII himself crowned them. Emperor Henry turned out to be one of the best rulers of the Holy Roman Empire.
With great respect, he encouraged changes for improvements in the Church. He supported the growth of new monasteries, founded schools and built beautiful churches. He showed his own love for Jesus and the Church with sincerity and love and worked hard to maintain peace in Europe.
He was a man of prayer and although he was attracted to religious life, he accepted his role as husband and ruler and fulfilled his responsibilities generously. Henry was just fifty-two when he died in 1024.
Reflection: "Present glory is fleeting and meaningless while it is possessed unless in it we can glimpse something of heaven's eternity."-St. Henry
| Matthew | |||
| English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
| Matthew 13 |
|||
| 1. | THE same day Jesus going out of the house, sat by the sea side. | In illo die exiens Jesus de domo, sedebat secus mare. | εν δε τη ημερα εκεινη εξελθων ο ιησους απο της οικιας εκαθητο παρα την θαλασσαν |
| 2. | And great multitudes were gathered unto him, so that he went up into a boat and sat: and all the multitude stood on the shore. | Et congregatæ sunt ad eum turbæ multæ, ita ut naviculam ascendens sederet : et omnis turba stabat in littore, | και συνηχθησαν προς αυτον οχλοι πολλοι ωστε αυτον εις το πλοιον εμβαντα καθησθαι και πας ο οχλος επι τον αιγιαλον ειστηκει |
| 3. | And he spoke to them many things in parables, saying: Behold the sower went forth to sow. | et locutus est eis multa in parabolis, dicens : Ecce exiit qui seminat, seminare. | και ελαλησεν αυτοις πολλα εν παραβολαις λεγων ιδου εξηλθεν ο σπειρων του σπειρειν |
| 4. | And whilst he soweth some fell by the way side, and the birds of the air came and ate them up. | Et dum seminat, quædam ceciderunt secus viam, et venerunt volucres cæli, et comederunt ea. | και εν τω σπειρειν αυτον α μεν επεσεν παρα την οδον και ηλθεν τα πετεινα και κατεφαγεν αυτα |
| 5. | And other some fell upon stony ground, where they had not much earth: and they sprung up immediately, because they had no deepness of earth. | Alia autem ceciderunt in petrosa, ubi non habebant terram multam : et continuo exorta sunt, quia non habebant altitudinem terræ : | αλλα δε επεσεν επι τα πετρωδη οπου ουκ ειχεν γην πολλην και ευθεως εξανετειλεν δια το μη εχειν βαθος γης |
| 6. | And when the sun was up they were scorched: and because they had not root, they withered away. | sole autem orto æstuaverunt ; et quia non habebant radicem, aruerunt. | ηλιου δε ανατειλαντος εκαυματισθη και δια το μη εχειν ριζαν εξηρανθη |
| 7. | And others fell among thorns: and the thorns grew up and choked them. | Alia autem ceciderunt in spinas : et creverunt spinæ, et suffocaverunt ea. | αλλα δε επεσεν επι τας ακανθας και ανεβησαν αι ακανθαι και απεπνιξαν αυτα |
| 8. | And others fell upon good ground: and they brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold. | Alia autem ceciderunt in terram bonam : et dabant fructum, aliud centesimum, aliud sexagesimum, aliud trigesimum. | αλλα δε επεσεν επι την γην την καλην και εδιδου καρπον ο μεν εκατον ο δε εξηκοντα ο δε τριακοντα |
| 9. | He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. | Qui habet aures audiendi, audiat. | ο εχων ωτα ακουειν ακουετω |
| 10. | And his disciples came and said to him: Why speakest thou to them in parables? | Et accedentes discipuli dixerunt ei : Quare in parabolis loqueris eis ? | και προσελθοντες οι μαθηται ειπον αυτω δια τι εν παραβολαις λαλεις αυτοις |
| 11. | Who answered and said to them: Because to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven: but to them it is not given. | Qui respondens, ait illis : Quia vobis datum est nosse mysteria regni cælorum : illis autem non est datum. | ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις οτι υμιν δεδοται γνωναι τα μυστηρια της βασιλειας των ουρανων εκεινοις δε ου δεδοται |
| 12. | For he that hath, to him shall be given, and he shall abound: but he that hath not, from him shall be taken away that also which he hath. | Qui enim habet, dabitur ei, et abundabit : qui autem non habet, et quod habet auferetur ab eo. | οστις γαρ εχει δοθησεται αυτω και περισσευθησεται οστις δε ουκ εχει και ο εχει αρθησεται απ αυτου |
| 13. | Therefore do I speak to them in parables: because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. | Ideo in parabolis loquor eis : quia videntes non vident, et audientes non audiunt, neque intelligunt. | δια τουτο εν παραβολαις αυτοις λαλω οτι βλεποντες ου βλεπουσιν και ακουοντες ουκ ακουουσιν ουδε συνιουσιν |
| 14. | And the prophecy of Isaias is fulfilled in them, who saith: By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive. | Et adimpletur in eis prophetia Isaiæ, dicentis : Auditu audietis, et non intelligetis : et videntes videbitis, et non videbitis. | και αναπληρουται αυτοις η προφητεια ησαιου η λεγουσα ακοη ακουσετε και ου μη συνητε και βλεποντες βλεψετε και ου μη ιδητε |
| 15. | For the heart of this people is grown gross, and with their ears they have been dull of hearing, and their eyes they have shut: lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. | Incrassatum est enim cor populi hujus, et auribus graviter audierunt, et oculos suos clauserunt : nequando videant oculis, et auribus audiant, et corde intelligant, et convertantur, et sanem eos. | επαχυνθη γαρ η καρδια του λαου τουτου και τοις ωσιν βαρεως ηκουσαν και τους οφθαλμους αυτων εκαμμυσαν μηποτε ιδωσιν τοις οφθαλμοις και τοις ωσιν ακουσωσιν και τη καρδια συνωσιν και επιστρεψωσιν και ιασομαι αυτους |
| 16. | But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. | Vestri autem beati oculi quia vident, et aures vestræ quia audiunt. | υμων δε μακαριοι οι οφθαλμοι οτι βλεπουσιν και τα ωτα υμων οτι ακουει |
| 17. | For, amen, I say to you, many prophets and just men have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things that you hear and have not heard them. | Amen quippe dico vobis, quia multi prophetæ et justi cupierunt videre quæ videtis, et non viderunt : et audire quæ auditis, et non audierunt. | αμην γαρ λεγω υμιν οτι πολλοι προφηται και δικαιοι επεθυμησαν ιδειν α βλεπετε και ουκ ειδον και ακουσαι α ακουετε και ουκ ηκουσαν |
| 18. | Hear you therefore the parable of the sower. | Vos ergo audite parabolam seminantis. | υμεις ουν ακουσατε την παραβολην του σπειροντος |
| 19. | When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, there cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart: this is he that received the seed by the way side. | Omnis qui audit verbum regni, et non intelligit, venit malus, et rapit quod seminatum est in corde ejus : hic est qui secus viam seminatus est. | παντος ακουοντος τον λογον της βασιλειας και μη συνιεντος ερχεται ο πονηρος και αρπαζει το εσπαρμενον εν τη καρδια αυτου ουτος εστιν ο παρα την οδον σπαρεις |
| 20. | And he that received the seed upon stony ground, is he that heareth the word, and immediately receiveth it with joy. | Qui autem super petrosa seminatus est, hic est qui verbum audit, et continuo cum gaudio accipit illud : | ο δε επι τα πετρωδη σπαρεις ουτος εστιν ο τον λογον ακουων και ευθυς μετα χαρας λαμβανων αυτον |
| 21. | Yet hath he not root in himself, but is only for a time: and when there ariseth tribulation and persecution because of the word, he is presently scandalized. | non habet autem in se radicem, sed est temporalis : facta autem tribulatione et persecutione propter verbum, continuo scandalizatur. | ουκ εχει δε ριζαν εν εαυτω αλλα προσκαιρος εστιν γενομενης δε θλιψεως η διωγμου δια τον λογον ευθυς σκανδαλιζεται |
| 22. | And he that received the seed among thorns, is he that heareth the word, and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choketh up the word, and he becometh fruitless. | Qui autem seminatus est in spinis, hic est qui verbum audit, et sollicitudo sæculi istius, et fallacia divitiarum suffocat verbum, et sine fructu efficitur. | ο δε εις τας ακανθας σπαρεις ουτος εστιν ο τον λογον ακουων και η μεριμνα του αιωνος τουτου και η απατη του πλουτου συμπνιγει τον λογον και ακαρπος γινεται |
| 23. | But he that received the seed upon good ground, is he that heareth the word, and understandeth, and beareth fruit, and yieldeth the one an hundredfold, and another sixty, and another thirty. | Qui vero in terram bonam seminatus est, hic est qui audit verbum, et intelligit, et fructum affert, et facit aliud quidem centesimum, aliud autem sexagesimum, aliud vero trigesimum. | ο δε επι την γην την καλην σπαρεις ουτος εστιν ο τον λογον ακουων και συνιων ος δη καρποφορει και ποιει ο μεν εκατον ο δε εξηκοντα ο δε τριακοντα |
Sunday, July 13
Liturgical Color: Green
On this day in 64 A.D. St. Peter was
crucified upside down and then buried on
what is now the site of St. Peter's
Basilica. He did not feel worthy to be
crucified upright like Christ.
Day 212 - To what extent are all men equal in God's sight? // Why is there injustice among men?
To what extent are all men equal in God's sight?
All men are equal in God's sight insofar as all have the same Creator, all were created in the same image of God with a rational soul, and all have the same Redeemer.
Because all men are equal in God's sight, every person possesses the same dignity and has a claim to the same human rights. Hence every kind of social, racist, sexist, cultural, or religious discrimination against a person is an unacceptable injustice.
Why is there nevertheless injustice among men?
All men have the same dignity, but not all of them meet with the same living conditions. In cases where injustice is man-made, it contradicts the Gospel. In cases where men have been endowed by God with different gifts and talents, God is asking us to rely on one another: in charity one should make up for what the other lacks.
There is a kind of inequality among men that does not come from God but rather originates in societal conditions, especially in the unjust distribution of raw materials, land, and capital worldwide. God expects us to remove from the world everything that is plainly contrary to the Gospel and disregards human dignity. Yet there is another sort of inequality among men that is quite in keeping with God's will: inequality in talents, initial conditions, and opportunities. These are an indication that being human means being there for others in charity so as to share and to promote life. (YOUCAT questions 330-331)
Dig Deeper: CCC section (1934-1938) and other references here.
Part 3: Life in Christ (1691 - 2557)
Section 1: Man's Vocation — Life in the Spirit (1699 - 2051)
Chapter 2: The Human Community (1877 - 1948)
Article 3: Social Justice (1928 - 1948)
II. EQUALITY AND DIFFERENCES AMONG MEN ⇡
Created in the image of the one God and equally endowed with rational souls, all men have the same nature and the same origin. Redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ, all are called to participate in the same divine beatitude: all therefore enjoy an equal dignity.
The equality of men rests essentially on their dignity as persons and the rights that flow from it: Every form of social or cultural discrimination in fundamental personal rights on the grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, language, or religion must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God's design.40
40.
GS 29 § 2.
On coming into the world, man is not equipped with everything he needs for developing his bodily and spiritual life. He needs others. Differences appear tied to age, physical abilities, intellectual or moral aptitudes, the benefits derived from social commerce, and the distribution of wealth.41 The "talents" are not distributed equally.42
41.
Cf. GS 29 § 2.
42.
Cf. Mt 25:14-30; Lk 19:27.
These differences belong to God's plan, who wills that each receive what he needs from others, and that those endowed with particular "talents" share the benefits with those who need them. These differences encourage and often oblige persons to practice generosity, kindness, and sharing of goods; they foster the mutual enrichment of cultures: I distribute the virtues quite diversely; I do not give all of them to each person, but some to one, some to others. ... I shall give principally charity to one; justice to another; humility to this one, a living faith to that one. ... And so I have given many gifts and graces, both spiritual and temporal, with such diversity that I have not given everything to one single person, so that you may be constrained to practice charity towards one another. ... I have willed that one should need another and that all should be my ministers in distributing the graces and gifts they have received from me.43
43.
St. Catherine of Siena, Dial. I,7.
There exist also sinful inequalities that affect millions of men and women. These are in open contradiction of the Gospel: Their equal dignity as persons demands that we strive for fairer and more humane conditions. Excessive economic and social disparity between individuals and peoples of the one human race is a source of scandal and militates against social justice, equity, human dignity, as well as social and international peace.44
44.
CS 29 § 3.
Daily Readings for:July 13, 2014
(Readings on USCCB website)
Collect: O God, who show the light of your truth to those who go astray, so that they may return to the right path, give all who for the faith they profess are accounted Christians the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the name of Christ and to strive after all that does it honor. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
RECIPES
ACTIVITIES
o The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy
PRAYERS
o Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Ordinary Time (2nd Plan)
· Ordinary Time: July 13th
· Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Old Calendar: Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
"A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit, a hundred- or sixty- or thirty-fold. Whoever has ears ought to hear" (Matt 13:3-9).
Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
The Optional Memorial of St. Henry is superseded by the Sunday liturgy.
Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 55:10-11. The word of God which came to the Chosen People through the prophets, and the divinely inspired writers, came out of God's loving interest in His people. He wanted to prepare them for the inheritance, the real "promised land," that, when the messianic age (the "fullness of time") came, would be theirs, provided their lives on earth were lived as they should be. — The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.
The second reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:18-23 and is about present suffering and the glory of God. Suffering is an essential part of the Christian life and one who truly believes will have his or her share of hardships and trials. Yet, these are not ends in themselves, as there is hope that they will terminate with the full revelation of the glory of God. The theme and message of St. Paul is not to lose hope in the Lord into whose risen life we have been initiated by Baptism. — A Celebrants Guide to the New Sacramentary - A Cycle by Kevin W. Irwin
The Gospel is from St. Matthew 13:1-23. Christ's description of His audience, that day in Galilee, is unfortunately as true today as it was then. His message of salvation has been preached to a great part of the world's population, but the proportion of those who accept it and live up to it, is about the same today as it was then. There are millions of men and women today, in what was once Christian Europe, who are like the seed sown on the unplowed path. They refuse to accept the message, they have no thought for their future, they are content to end in the grave after their few years of misery and hardship on this planet.
There are others who see the truth and the consolation of the Christian gospel, but when it comes to making sacrifices for it, they give up. The message did not sink into their hearts and minds. They are like the seed which fell on rocky ground because the faith had no deep roots in their lives. Others again, and they are legion, are like the seed that fell among the briars and thorns. They accepted the faith and it took root in them, but later on, "the cares of the world and the delight in riches chokes the word and it proves unfruitful,"—these are our Lord's own words.
The last class of Christians, are like the seed sown on good soil. They not only accept Christ and his teaching, but they live up to it, and, come what may, they are faithful to it. These will produce fruit and will earn for themselves eternal happiness.
Each one of us can look into his own conscience today and discover to which class he or she belongs. Are some of us perhaps, like the seed that fell on the rocky ground? While Christianity makes no very difficult demand we are all for it, but when it demands mortification, the curbing of passion, real sacrifices for our neighbor, do we forget our Christian calling then and ignore its precepts? And how does our type of Christianity stand up to the temptations of the world—the desire to get all the enjoyment we can out of this life, licit or illicit, breaking God's commandments weekly or maybe daily? Are we chasing after wealth and power, using all our energies to rise in the world to be above our neighbor by fair or foul means? If the above are our aims in life, our Christianity has been or is being choked out of us.
There are millions of saints in heaven today, enjoying eternal happiness, who had some, if not all, of our present failings. We, too, can be with them one day, provided we do what they did. They repented sincerely and remained God's close friends, until he called them to himself. May the merciful God give us the grace to imitate them while we yet have time.
Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
My word … shall not return to me void. (Isaiah 55:11)
A farmer is very careful during planting season. He selects the best seeds, chooses the most fertile land, and plants each crop in just the right location. He does all of this in the expectation of a good harvest. Yet despite all his effort, he can’t make the seeds grow. It’s up to the seeds themselves.
By contrast, it’s our heavenly Father who makes the seed of faith in our hearts grow and bear fruit. And he does it by pouring his word on us like a gentle rain shower.
Today’s first reading tells how fruitful God’s word is: it never comes back to him empty! His words are promises filled with divine potential. Every day, our Father speaks words of life over us. He tells us about his hope-filled plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11). He tells us about his everlasting love for us (31:3). He tells us that he delights in us (Isaiah 62:4). And he tells us that we are blessed because we can see signs of his presence in the world (Matthew 13:13). If we can accept these words, they will unleash grace in our lives that will make us into fruitful, attractive witnesses to our faith.
Do you want to bear fruit for the Lord? Then take hold of God’s word and never let it go. Every day, spend time with the Scriptures. Let them speak to your heart. Let them form your mind. Let them guide your actions. If you haven’t done it already, read the articles in the front of this magazine. They’re all about finding God’s presence through his word, and they’ll help you discover the grace that God has planted in you like a seed.
Jesus is speaking his word to you all the time. Right now, at this very moment, he wants to tell you something. Take the time to listen.
“Father, open my eyes to see you. Open my ears to hear you. Open my heart to receive you. Come, Lord, and speak life to my soul!”
Psalm 65:10-14; Romans 8:18-23; Matthew 13:1-23
(Isaiah 55:10-11; Psalm 65:10-14; Romans 8:18-23; Matthew 13:1-23)
1. In the first reading, God tells us through the metaphor of rain how fruitful his word is: “my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.” What do these words mean to you? How do they apply to your life?
2. In the responsorial psalm, again we read of the “fruitful harvest” because God has “visited the land and watered it.” In what way is this related to the metaphor of rain in the first reading and the role of God’s word in preparing, “breaking” and “softening” our hearts? Can you give an example when God’s word softened your heart and lead to fruitful changes?
3. In the letter to the Romans, St. Paul compares the “slavery” to sin with the “glorious freedom” of the children of God. Where in your life have you experienced “glorious freedom” and victory over sin?
4. In the Gospel, we read once again of the seed and the harvest. Which of the soils described in the Parable of the Sower best describes the state of your heart? What steps can you take to make your heart a “rich soil” that “hears the word and understand it” and “bears fruit?”
5. Jesus also speaks of those who look but do not see, and those who hear but do not listen. When receiving the Eucharist at Mass this week, how careful are you to prepare your heart and mind to really see and listen? What about just prior to hearing the Sunday Mass readings? What additional steps can you take to prepare your heart and mind, both before and during Mass?
6. The meditation challenges us with these words: “Do you want to bear fruit for the Lord? Then take hold of God’s word and never let it go. Every day, spend time with the Scriptures. Let them speak to your heart. Let them form your mind. Let them guide your actions.” If you don’t already have a daily time of Scripture reading, are you willing to commit to reading and reflecting on the Scriptures each day. If not, why not? If you already have a daily time of Scripture reading, are there some steps you can take to improve it?
7. Take some time now to pray for the grace to allow Scriptures, the Word of God, to transform you and “speak life” to your soul. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER [2]
(A biblical reflection on the 15th Ordinary Sunday – 13 July 2014)
Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:1-9 (long version: Matthew 13:1-23)
First Reading: Isaiah 55:10-11; Psalms: Psalm 65:10-14, Second Reading: Romans 8:18-23
The Scripture Text
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about Him, so that He got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the beach. And He told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away. Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.” (Mt 13:1-9 RSV)
The Bible is not a list of dos and don’ts nor it a collection of lofty ideals and noble characters for our imitation. Certainly, Scripture contains many moral lessons and uplifting stories, but it is much more than this, Scripture is the mind and heart of God revealed to humanity. We could say that just as Jesus is the God in human form, Scripture is the grace of God in written form. As powerful and life-changing as Jesus is, that is how powerful and life-changing the power of Scripture is! We simply need to be open to God.
The starting point is to realize that our thoughts are not God’s thoughts. Are we (you and I) open to seeing things differently? Are we willing to let God change our mindsets? If so, then we’re ready to read Scripture for what it truly is. The promise of the Christian life is that if we open the doors of our hearts to God, He will use the Scriptures to transform us and to lift us up into His presence.
Of course, while God does the work, we will still have to be attentive and make ourselves available to God as we read the Scriptures. Through His “parable of the sower and the seed”, Jesus illustrated the ability of His word to bear fruit when it falls into good soil. So, let’s start today. Let’s soak our minds in God’s word. Let’s dwell on the readings we hear at Mass today. Let’s believe that His word always accomplishes that which He intends (Isaiah 55:11) than an intellectual inquiry. It’s an opportunity to become united to God. Let’s experiment with ways to allow Scripture to take root in our hearts and minds. The results will be out of this world!
Prayer: Holy Spirit, God, open my heart to the power of God’s word in the Scripture. Help me to learn God’s ways. Make me into good soil that receives the seed of Your precious word and bears in me the fruit of your love.
Daily Marriage Tip for July 13, 2014:
“But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” (Mt 13:8) Is your marriage rich soil in which your family can flourish? If you want to do something for your children, do something for your marriage. Children benefit from a strong, loving marriage.
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle A
Opening prayer Isaiah 55:10-11
(Ps 65:10-14)
Romans 8:18-23
Matthew 13:1-23
Overview of the Gospel:
• This week’s Gospel reading brings us to Matthew 13, a chapter of parables told by Jesus broken up in such a way that he can explain their meaning. The crowds Jesus is speaking to are so large he needs to get into a boat to avoid being crushed and so that he can be heard by all. He begins with his famous parable of the Sower and the seeds.
• The soil in Israel was of uneven quality: Seed had to be spread everywhere since finding the “good” soil was too time consuming. The “rocky ground” was not filled with stones; rather, it was composed of thin soil over hard limestone. Also, the thorny weeds commonly found in that area were not pulled up, but plowed under and mixed with the soil.
• In his parable, Jesus addresses in turn the Sower (verses 1-8), the non-listeners (verses 10- 15), the listeners (verses 16-17), and the right understanding (verses18-22) that leads to fruitfulness in the Spirit (verse 23). See also Matthew 7:16-20, 12:33; John 15:5 and Galatians 5:22-23.
Questions:
• In the 1st Reading, what does the prophet Isaiah tell us about the effectiveness of God’s word? How does this relate to the Gospel Reading?
• How does the 2nd Reading convey the reality that the Kingdom of God is “now present” but “not yet”?
• What is a parable? What do they accomplish that simple and direct speech lacks?
• What four types of soil does Jesus mention? What characterizes each? What happens to the seed in each type of soil?
• What does Jesus’ explanation of the parable (vv 18-23) reveal about the seed? About the various soils? The fruit? The Sower?
• How does Jesus’ challenge in verse 9 help explain verses 11-12? How does faith open you up to more and more spiritual insight?
• What deep “roots” help to prevent a Christian from falling away? What gives you roots?
• What worries can choke your growth in Christ? How can you free your life from these “thorns”?
• What “crop” does Jesus want Christians to yield? What can you do to increase your productivity?
Catechism of the Catholic Church: §§ 1724, 546, 29
Closing prayer
It is fitting for us, meditating upon the glory of this [future] splendor, to endure all afflictions and persecutions because, although the afflictions of the just man are many, yet those who trust in God are delivered from them all. –St. Cyprian of Carthage (ca. 250 A.D.)
Posted by Nate Roberts on 07.11.14 |
Readings:
Isaiah 55:10-11
Psalm 65:10-14
Romans 8:18-23
Matthew 13:1-23
Today’s readings, like last week’s, ask us to meditate on Israel’s response to God’s Word—and our own. Why do some hear the word of the kingdom, yet fail to accept it as a call to conversion and faith in Jesus? That question underlies today’s Gospel, especially.
Again we see, as we did last week, that the kingdom’s mysteries are unfolded to those who open their hearts, making of them a rich soil in the which the Word can grow and bear fruit.
As we sing in today’s Psalm, in Jesus, God’s Word has visited our land, to water the stony earth of our hearts with the living waters of the Spirit (see John 7:38; Revelation 22:1).
The firstfruit of the Word is the Spirit of love and adoption poured into our hearts in baptism, making us children of God, as Paul reminds us in today’s Epistle (see Romans 5:5; 8:15-16). In this, we are made a “new creation” (see 2 Corinthians 5:17), the firstfruits of a new heaven and a new earth (see 2 Peter 3:13).
Since the first humans rejected God’s Word, creation has been enslaved to futility (see Genesis 3:17-19; 5:29). But God’s Word does not go forth only to return to Him void, as we hear in today’s First Reading.
His Word awaits our response. We must show ourselves to be children of that Word. We must allow that Word to accomplish God’s will in our lives. As Jesus warns today, we must take care lest the devil steal it away or lest it be choked by worldly concerns.
In the Eucharist, the Word gives himself to us as bread to eat. He does so that we might be made fertile, yielding fruits of holiness.
And we await the crowning of the year, the great harvest of the Lord’s Day (see Mark 4:29; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 1:10)—when His Word will have achieved the end for which it was sent.
(Tissot)
Sunday Word: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/071314.cfm
Is 55:10-11
Rom 8:18-23
Mt 13:1-23
How perfect a parable for the summer time in this Sunday’s Gospel– the sower and the seed. Most all of us have spent some time in a garden an orchard or maybe have a few blueberry or raspberry bushes or tomato plants nearby in which we are enjoying the mid-summer harvest of warm days. Not everything has reached its peak as yet but we can see the growth taking place and look forward to reaping the harvest.
But Jesus’ parable in the Gospel is not about agricultural methods. In fact the Sower who sows the seed does so in a very haphazard way. He just scatters the seed wide and far on good soil, weedy soil, dry ground, among thorns and bushes, perhaps hoping that it will grow somewhere. Not exactly a careful plowing and preparation of the earth for optimum growth then a neat planting of seeds in straight rows for easy harvest.
Yet, this image is not so much about the seed itself but about whom the Sower is – and that is God. How does God sow his seed - with wild abandon so that it will go everywhere. What is that seed? It is his grace and his love. It’s all God is and all he has; he doesn’t know how to do otherwise and Jesus wants us to take note of this important image. His love and grace reaches out everywhere: good and bad, rich and poor, young and old, across all cultures and languages and regions. Remember other similar stories and events Jesus told: the Prodigal Son, the shepherd and the lost sheep, the miracle of the loaves and fishes, the amount of water turned wine (180 gallons) at the Cana wedding feast, etc.
In our first reading from Isaiah we hear: “so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.” This sower’s intent is not one of carelessness or indifference but of purpose: that all may receive an abundance of his love and mercy.
So we know the Sower is extraordinarily generous like the Father in the story of the Prodigal Son. But what about the soil upon which the seed falls?
That is us. I doubt God is at all surprised when his seed, grace and love, does not produce a harvest. In fact some of the seed is wasted, received with indifference, finds growth only in fair weather or when things are going smoothly, or falls in the middle of our very busy lives filled with so many responsibilities and distractions that we’ve pushed God to the margins or never bothered to educate ourselves about our rich Catholic faith and we are worshiping God as if we were still fifth graders.
But, God does not cease sowing. He continues to sow knowing that he has brought us into life, wired us for himself and that our natural tendency to search for a deeper meaning and purpose may lead us back to him. As Pope Francis has said: “It is not God who abandons us it is we who abandon him.”
What is your soil like? How prepared are you to be receptive? The rich soil that Jesus describes was not typical of middle eastern terrain. If a five fold harvest was produced it would have been extraordinary. But the “rich soil” Jesus speaks of is a heart open to him; a person who is genuinely searching for him through prayer, good works, kindness and generosity towards others, who worships regularly and participates in the sacramental life of the Church. He’s not speaking of being religious fanatics or overly pious individuals but about those who take their faith seriously enough to remain open to all that he wants to give.
The Sower and the Seed is then about God and us. He sows and we receive what he offers. But we can also say “no, not now, too hard, later, maybe tomorrow, get back to me when I’m not so busy,” or find a host of other excuses. In other words, what kind of disciple am I? Do I follow Jesus from a safe distance or do I find myself up close to hear his every word?
Our gathering for the Eucharist each weekend is a time to encounter the living Christ in Word and Sacrament and to be open and receptive to whatever seed God wants to plant in us. It may be small at first, like the mustard seed, but in time with careful nurturing it will grow to be “the largest of plants.” God bless you.
O God, who show the light of your truth
to those who go astray,
so they may return to the right path,
give all who for the faith they profess
are accounted Christians
the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the name of Christ
and to strive after all that does it honor.
(Collect of Sunday)
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