Daily Retreat 07/28/06
2006 Jul 28 Fri: Ordinary Weekday
Jer 3: 14-17/ Jer 31: 10. 11-12abcd. 13/ Mt 13: 18-23
From today’s readings: “I will appoint over you shepherds after My own heart, who will shepherd you wisely and prudently.... The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.... Jesus said to His disciples: Hear the parable of the sower!”
Sowing the Word of God
Why don’t people respond wholeheartedly to the Gospel? The often disappointing results of personal evangelization are among the greatest frustrations for any zealous Christian. And yet, in a crucial seminal parable, Jesus explained that this was only to be expected when sowing the Word of God.
For like the seed sown on the path, there have been many, and there continues to be many today who hear the Word of God without understanding and appreciating it, and so they make it easy for the Devil to steal away the precious seedling faith. Likewise, there have been many, and there continues to be many today who hear the word of God and receive it at once with joy, but they have no follow-through and no commitment to long-term growth in their faith, so that soon dries up and dies. There also have been many, and there continues to be many today who hear the Word of God , but worldly concerns and preoccupations continually distract them from Heavenly matters, so their spiritual development suffers and is stunted.
But over the centuries, there have been some, and there continues to be some today who hear the Word of God and understand it, and cultivate their whole life around it, and thus bear abundant fruit! In His determination to plant seed in the rich soil, Jesus Himself suffered the frustration of some seed falling along the path, or on rocky ground, or among thorns. In our own scattered efforts at evangelization, there’s bound to be the same frustrations, but among those who persevere to reach the rich soil, there will also be a divinely fruitful yield!
Jer 3: 14-17/ Jer 31: 10. 11-12abcd. 13/ Mt 13: 18-23
From today’s readings: “I will appoint over you shepherds after My own heart, who will shepherd you wisely and prudently.... The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.... Jesus said to His disciples: Hear the parable of the sower!”
Sowing the Word of God
Why don’t people respond wholeheartedly to the Gospel? The often disappointing results of personal evangelization are among the greatest frustrations for any zealous Christian. And yet, in a crucial seminal parable, Jesus explained that this was only to be expected when sowing the Word of God.
For like the seed sown on the path, there have been many, and there continues to be many today who hear the Word of God without understanding and appreciating it, and so they make it easy for the Devil to steal away the precious seedling faith. Likewise, there have been many, and there continues to be many today who hear the word of God and receive it at once with joy, but they have no follow-through and no commitment to long-term growth in their faith, so that soon dries up and dies. There also have been many, and there continues to be many today who hear the Word of God , but worldly concerns and preoccupations continually distract them from Heavenly matters, so their spiritual development suffers and is stunted.
But over the centuries, there have been some, and there continues to be some today who hear the Word of God and understand it, and cultivate their whole life around it, and thus bear abundant fruit! In His determination to plant seed in the rich soil, Jesus Himself suffered the frustration of some seed falling along the path, or on rocky ground, or among thorns. In our own scattered efforts at evangelization, there’s bound to be the same frustrations, but among those who persevere to reach the rich soil, there will also be a divinely fruitful yield!
posted by FrPitstick | 7/27/2006
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