Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary time –Year ATHE POWER OF THE WORD Isaiah 55:10-11
Romans 8:18-23
Mathew 13:1-23
Dear friends in Christ Jesus, how are you all? Are we good people or bad people? Or how can we know that we are good people or bad people? Dear friends we are known to the world by the way we speak. Our words or speech makes us or determines us that we good people or bad people.
There was a president and he was a good man and friendly to all the people. People used to come to his office to share their difficulties and problems. One day an old lady came to the office of the president and she was speaking with him. She spoke so many things by the way she spoke the president was irritated and annoyed. (Without knowing the microphone was on) after the meeting the president called the securities and shouted at them. “Who asked to send this lady to my office, she is jealous of everything, she is not at all good, she is good for nothing etc..” The president spoke bad things about this lady and the people too heard the words of the president through the radio. Thus people got angry and protested against the president. Though he had good name with the people because of this one incident he has received title that this president does not respect the women. Thus later on in the election he lost the majority. Yes dear friends actually the president was good man but his words ruined his future.
In the gospel of Mathew 12:36 we read that Jesus clearly says “I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the Day of Judgment”. Also in today’s reading Jesus insists upon the power of his word. in the first reading God says that “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
And in the Gospel reading Jesus gives an example of four kinds of people who accept the word of God.
People Beside the Road:
these are the people listen to the Word of God but they do not understand it thus they fall into the hands of Satan. Today how many us understand the word of God in our lives. or how many of us are eager to understand it? If we do not understand the word of God then our life on this earth is useless.
People who are in the Rocky Ground
These people listen to Word of God but their faith is very shallow. Since their faith is week easily they fall in to temptations. And they get into evil ways and they entertain shortly the voice of God. For example after the creation, God was speaking with Adam and Eve and they too were happy to speak with God. But when the temptation rose on to eat the forbidden fruit they fell in the hand of Satan. Even today whenever the temptations, sufferings, difficulties, come on our way how many of us allow the grace of God to fight against the evil?
People who are in the Thorny Bush
These people love to read or listen to the word of God at the same time they wanted to give importance to worldly attractions. For example attending Sunday mass is obligatory but on this day if some good programme or new movie or cricket Final match is telecasted in the TV, or do you want to take little long rest. where do we give importance? How do we make a choice? Is it go for the mass as a family? or being drawn to the worldly ways which is momentary. Today most of the parents insist their children to go to tuition class rather than Sunday mass and catechism. What about you and me?
People of Good Soil:-
These are the people listen to the Word of God and practice it in their lives. these people are aware that they are created in the image and likeness of God and blessed with lots of goodness of God with gratitude and thanks giving they live the kingdom values and bear the fruits of love, joy, peace, etc. here on this earth. And that is the reason we have saints in our mother Church who always enjoy the eternal Bliss with God. For example Jesus himself listened to the Father and in return the father exalted him saying “this is my beloved son listen to him” and in the life of Mary our Mother we see that she listened to the word of God and practiced it in her lives by saying “here am I the servant of the lord let it be with me according to your word”, and St. Francis Xavier listened to the word of God Mt. 16:26 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” with these words St. Francis dedicated his life for Christ sake. By listening to the Words of God the people of good soil bear hundredfold. Today do we bear hundredfold, sixtyfold or thirtyfold?
Dear friends the word of God sowed in a good soil always bears hundredfold in the same way Jesus wants each one us to become the people of good soil so that we too will bear the fruits of hundredfold in our lives. To produce hundredfold first let us listen to the word of God and practice it. Secondly listen to our own words, because through our words we are determined as good people or bad people. God has blessed each one us to bear hundredfold. Let us focus ourselves on God that He may take control over us that we may be open to receive His grace to enjoy true happiness in Him alone.
May God bless the people of Good soil!
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