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Today's readings remind us
that God's Word is effective. It comes forth from God, transforms the
world, and then returns to Him. Sometimes it appears that God's Word is
lost in the hustle of our world. Jesus uses the parable of the sower and
the seed to illustrate that there are many concerns in this world which
can choke off the Word of God. The real point of Jesus' parable is the
bounteous harvest —thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold.
Anywhere that God's Word finds a place to grow it will yield a fruitful
harvest. Throughout the history of the Church there have been
people in every generation who were open to and responded to the Word of
God. St. Francis of Assisi, Ignatius Loyola, and so many more
transformed their world by taking seriously the Word of God.
In order for God's Word to transform us we need to hear it. When we come
to church we need to leave the everyday concerns of our world behind. It
takes some effort to put our minds and hearts at peace so that the Word
of God can truly touch us. Leave for Sunday Mass a little earlier. Take
a few moments in church before Mass begins to put yourself in the
presence of the God who loves you. Ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit
to enable you to hear the Word and live it in your heart.
Jesus reminds us that the Word we hear can be choked off by the cares of
this world. Once we hear the Word we need to ask the Spirit what
it means for our life. What is God saying to me? How does this apply to
my life, my family, my work, my neighbors and my friends?
Take the Word of God with you
as you leave church. Digest it over the days ahead. Get out your
Bible during the week and read over the passages, let them sink in.
God's Word can change our lives and the world through us. "Blest are
your eyes because they see and blest are your ears because they hear." |
