15th Sunday of Ordinary Times
An Abundant Harvest.....
Readings for:15th Sunday of Ordinary Times, Year A
Reading 1 Isaiah 55:10-11
Psalm Psalm 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14
Reading 2 Romans 8:18-23
Gospel Matthew 13:1-23
REFLECTIONS:… from Father Daniel
Theme of the Sunday: An Abundant Harvest from Difficult Soil. We are accustomed to seeing the effects of advertising. When youngsters see ways of dressing or combing their hair in films or on TV, They imitate them. Why is the gospel so slow entering our hearts? This question is answered by today’s readings. The Gospel tells us it depends on the soil. Jesus assures us that even the most barren soil cannot long resist the penetrating force of the seed. The first reading strengthens this idea and compares the word of God to the rain that brings life. The second reading tells us that sowing is always difficult, it is a time of pain, though not the pain of death, merely the beginning of new life.
In Jesus’ day, farmers weren’t as neat as they are today. They spread seed far and wide to ensure a good harvest. They spread extra-seed. They even wasted some! The seed stands for God’s word and Jesus’ teachings. There were lots of reasons why some of the seed did not take root or, if it did, it did not survive. What was different in these cases? Not the seed. It was the same. The difference was in the preparation of the soul to receive the action of the seed. Basically, Jesus is telling us that his word, even though it created problems for some people or was not productive for others, would produce abundantly . His word would have power like the rain and snow. Nothing could prevent God’s word from taking hold. The harvest from God’s word will be plentiful. We are showered with love and this love is powerful. We will become like the valleys and hills. We will rejoice and shout from joy. We will bear fruit one hundred-and-sixty-and- fold. All we need do is hear the message of Jesus and take it in.
A young college graduate in Public and Environmental Affairs, who got a new job, he called his mother on the phone and said, “ Mom, I am now a garbage man.” And his mother replied, “Son, be good in what you do.”
