BEARING FRUIT
“And
the seeds sown in the good soil stand for those who hear the message
and understand it: they bear fruit, some as much as one hundred, others,
sixty, and others thirty.” – Matthew 13:23
When
my parents first moved to our subdivision, they planted seeds of mango,
jackfruit, coconut and chico in the land surrounding our family’s home.
After many years, these seeds have blossomed into trees whose fruits
are enjoyed not only by our family but our neighbors as well.
Once,
we harvested a total of 64 coconuts from just one tree. It’s amazing
how one seed that fell on good soil produced a tree that bears so much
fruit.
It
reminds me how a word of encouragement or simply sharing God’s
faithfulness in our lives can plant hope in someone’s heart. Imagine how
the seed of kindness and the truth of the Gospel can change someone’s
life. Imagine also how a person touched by God’s transforming love can
influence the people around them until the whole country is transformed.
It seems so massive, but the change begins from one seed of goodness
planted today.
It
is so important that we do our duty as Christians in planting the seeds
of God’s truth and goodness in our lives. That way, the Holy Spirit can
continue His renewing work in the world.Marjorie Ann Duterte (marjorie.travels@gmail.com)
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REFLECTION:
If no seed is sown, how will the Spirit bear fruit? Who can I share God’s Word with today?
Dear
Lord, may we be like the good soil that receives Your Word in trust and
obedience, so that Your Spirit may bear fruits of love, peace and joy
in us. Amen.
Blessed Antonio Lucci,pray for us.
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1ST READING
Part
of the process of conversion is that the Lord wants to reform our
hearts according to His own. Our hearts have been hardened by sin and
God wants to change this so that we will leave behind the life of sin
and live in the name of the Lord. This means making God’s will and
desires the foremost focus in our lives rather than the agenda the world
has for us. It will take a minor revolution in our thinking and acting
to accomplish this.
Jeremiah 3:14-17
14 Return,
rebellious children, says the Lord, for I am your Master; I will take
you, one from a city, two from a clan, and bring you to Zion. 15 I will appoint over you shepherds after my own heart, who will shepherd you wisely and prudently. 16 When
you multiply and become fruitful in the land, says the Lord, they will
in those days no longer say, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord!” They
will no longer think of it, or remember it, or miss it, or make
another. 17 At
that time they will call Jerusalem the Lord’s throne; there all nations
will be gathered together to honor the name of the Lord at Jerusalem,
and they will walk no longer in their hardhearted wickedness.
P S A L M
Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12, 13
R: The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
10 Hear
the word of the Lord, O nations, proclaim it on distant isles, and say:
He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together, he guards them as a
shepherd his flock. (R) 11 The Lord shall ransom Jacob, he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror. 12 Shouting,
they shall mount the heights of Zion, they shall come streaming to the
Lord’s blessings: The grain, the wine, and the oil, the sheep and the
oxen. (R)13 Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,
and young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will console and gladden them after their sorrows. (R)
GOSPEL
We
all face numerous challenges in life, all of which will require choices
to be made, some of them difficult. This should not be cause for alarm
but rather the expectation of seeing how God is going to bring about His
will in our lives. Every time we face a challenge, the grace is there
for us to deal with it well. The question is whether or not we are
humble enough to rely on God’s help to address the situation at hand.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.
Matthew 13:18-23
18 Jesus said to his disciples: “Hear the parable of the sower. 19 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. 20 The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. 21 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. 22 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. 23 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.”
LIST
think: Every time we face a challenge, the grace is there for us to deal with it well.
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PARABLE OF THE ROACHES
My
parents recited this mantra while we were growing up: “Study hard.
Education is the only treasure that we can give you.” My parents called
themselves graduates of the University of Hard Knocks. They eloped
before they finished high school. Thus, the endless reminder for us,
their children, to do our best in ensuring a good future. The books, my
parents and my teachers, plus the struggles of a poor, simple family
inspired me to soar to greater heights. Suffice it to say that the
lessons were well-learned and became deeply rooted in my persona.
The
Word of God offers limitless avenues for us to learn and grow. We
listen to the Word of God every day at Mass. The story of the sower is a
hard-hitting parable which remains relevant to these days. There are
still people who are indifferent to the Word. We have yet to equal the
members of other Christian denominations in their reverence and love for
Scripture. There are those who welcome the Word of God for a while but
forget about it in the long run. And there are those whose worldly
concerns take the first place in their hierarchy of values rather than
their spiritual lives.
But
there are those who welcome the Word of God, make it their source of
strength and inspiration, establish it as the criteria and benchmark for
a meaningful and
spirit-filled life. Fortunately for the Church, the dawning of the
Charismatic Renewal movement has led to a renewed thirst for the Word —
to be read, heard, listened to and lived out.
Many
families have Bibles in their homes, but very rarely do they enthrone
it in their altars. They keep their Bibles inside cabinets, unread and
being feasted on by roaches. One priest warned: Don’t be shocked when
you reach heaven and find the roaches having halos and angelic wings —
because the roaches seemed more interested in God’s Word than you are!
Lessons
have to be learned. Impressions have to last. Challenges have to be
faced with fortitude. The Word of God has to be firmly planted in the
hearts of the faithful. Wanted: Good soil for God’s Word. Fr. Erick Y. Santos, SFO
REFLECTION QUESTION: In the parable, which soil are you? Why?
Lord, may Your Word bring fruits aplenty in my life.
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