What kind of a plant are you? A little flowering rose? A big tree with lots of delicious fruit hanging on the branches? A little weed, which for some strange reason my little dog likes to nibble? I hope you are a big fruitful Catholic tree, providing goodness and beauty to all who come under your shade.
Jesus relates a parable today about the sower who went out and scattered seed. The seed that fell on the path was quickly eaten up by birds. Those that fell on rocky ground sprang up immediately but then, due to the lack of adequate soil, withered away. Some fell among thorns, but the shoots eventually got choked out by the thorns.
Obviously, we want to relate to the seed that fell on rich soil that produced fruit a hundred-fold. We would want to enter heaven and hear God say to us, “Welcome, good and faithful servant.”
Grumbling
While we have aspirations to produce fruit a hundred-fold, often times we behave like the Israelites in the desert, grumbling and complaining about things in our life. We face a little adversity, and we focus on that, ignoring all the other blessings that God has given us. While sojourning in the desert with Moses and Aaron, the Israelites grumbled about the lack of meat and other necessities that were freely available during their captivity in Egypt. They forgot that they were not slaves anymore. God heard their grumbling and came to their rescue, providing them with manna and quail to satisfy their mortal appetites.
Just as God provided them with manna, so He provides us with the true bread from heaven, the body, blood, soul, and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the form of the most Holy Eucharist, which we have the privilege to receive every single day, if we so choose. This bread from heaven is our sustenance, providing nourishment to fight off evil which is lurking everywhere.
I have found that by attending daily Mass, it keeps me grounded in my faith. Oftentimes while listening to the readings or the priest’s homily, I hear God talking to me. Usually He tells me to be patient and to persevere in prayer for the petitions I hold in my heart.
The Gospel acclamation sums up everything very succinctly: “The seed is the word of God; Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live forever.”
On this memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I wish all grandparents a very Happy Grandparents’ Day! You have a special grace of being able to share the love of Christ with your grandchildren and to pass on your faith.
