Daily Readings - Sat Sep 23 2017

First Reading - 1 Timothy 6.13-16

¹³I charge you, in the sight of God, who enlivens all things, and in the sight of Christ Jesus, who gave the testimony of a good profession under Pontius Pilate¹⁴to observe the commandment, immaculately, irreproachably, unto the return of our Lord Jesus Christ¹⁵For at the proper time, he shall reveal the blessed and only Power, the King of kings and the Lord of lords¹⁶who alone holds immortality, and who inhabits the inaccessible light, whom no man has seen, nor even is able to see, to whom is honor and everlasting dominion. Amen

Gospel - Luke 8.4-15

Luke

Chapter 8

⁴Then, when a very numerous crowd was gathering together and hurrying from the cities to him, he spoke using a comparison⁵"The sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell beside the way; and it was trampled and the birds of the air devoured it⁶And some fell upon rock; and having sprung up, it withered away, because it had no moisture⁷And some fell among thorns; and the thorns, rising up with it, suffocated it⁸And some fell upon good soil; and having sprung up, it produced fruit one hundredfold." As he said these things, he cried out, "Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.⁹Then his disciples questioned him as to what this parable might mean¹⁰And he said to them: "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to the rest, it is in parables, so that: seeing, they may not perceive, and hearing, they may not understand¹¹Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God¹²And those beside the way are those who hear it, but then the devil comes and takes the word from their heart, lest by believing it they may be saved¹³Now those upon rock are those who, when they hear it, accept the word with joy, but these have no roots. So they believe for a time, but in a time of testing, they fall away¹⁴And those which fell among thorns are those who have heard it, but as they go along, they are suffocated by the concerns and riches and pleasures of this life, and so they do not yield fruit¹⁵But those which were on good soil are those who, upon hearing the word with a good and noble heart, retain it, and they bring forth fruit in patience

Sermon

In today’s readings, we are reminded of the enduring power of God’s word and the call to fidelity. The first reading from 1 Timothy encourages Timothy to remain faithful, observing the commandment until Christ’s return. This passage underscores the importance of perseverance and trust in God’s plan. The Gospel from Luke presents the parable of the sower, where Jesus teaches about the different ways people receive God’s word. This parable invites us to reflect on how we ourselves receive and nurture God’s message in our lives. Both readings, though distinct, share a common theme of receptivity and endurance. In 1 Timothy, the focus is on steadfastness in faith, while Luke’s parable highlights the varying responses to God’s word. The parable serves as a mirror, prompting us to examine our own hearts and how we allow God’s word to take root. The challenge is to be like the good soil—open, receptive, and nurturing—so that God’s word can bear fruit in our lives. In our daily lives, this means cultivating patience and faithfulness. Just as the seed needs time and care to grow, our spiritual lives require consistent effort and openness to God’s grace. The moral lesson here is clear: perseverance and receptivity are essential for spiritual growth. May we strive to be the good soil, allowing God’s word to transform us, even amidst life’s challenges, and may we bear fruit in patience and love.