15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 16, 2017

Readings:

First Reading – Isaiah 55:10-11

Psalm 65

Second Reading – Romans 8:18-23

Gospel reading according to Matthew (13:1-23 or 13:1-9)

+

Homily

Seldom Jesus stayed at home for a long period of time; he often went out to seek people to teach them about God his Father, about Reign-Kingdom of heaven and even heavenly things where he came from. “On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea.  Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore” (Mt. 13:1-2).  On that day, he went out from the house of Simon Peter where he was staying to the sea where there are many people to see him so that he can teach them.  He easily caught the attention of the crowds and they gathered around him until he was pressed by the people.  So, he decided to ride on a boat.  Sitting as the gesture of a teacher, so Jesus sat down to start teaching the crowds.  “And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: ‘A sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up” (Mt.13:3-4).  The first parable he gave was about the sower who sowed the seed, and some of the seed fell on the pathways.  This kind of soil is hardened by the foot path made by men in the passage of time.  So the seed that fell on it do not live and the birds ate of it.  We can consider this kind of soil to people whose hearts was hardened by their experiences.  The Word of the Lord cannot penetrate into their hearts for they closed them, so also they are easy prey of the devil (birds) that came and ate the Word of God.  “Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.  It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots” (Mt. 13:5-6).  Another kind of soil, rocky ground, with less soil on top of it while the bottom is full of rock, that’s why the root cannot penetrate deeply.  The seed grew easily but because of less soil when the sun rises and scorch the plant it easily withered for lack of soil.  We consider this kind of soil where the Word of God is easily grows to those people yet whose hearts are shallow.  When problems come (heat from the sun), it easily surrenders and gives up the Word of God, and withered.  “Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it”(Mt. 13:7).  Because of the allurement of this world and the temptation of the flesh with regards to material things, this kind of soil, with thorns, the seed cannot grow up.  Its priority is the pleasure of the flesh/of this world rather than the Word of God that gives life.   “But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold”(Mt. 13:8).  The sower is still hopeful, for what was lost will be replaced by an abundant yield.  The good soil can replicate the seed that was lost, if not wasted.

The same with us, our hearts can be a foot path soil that the seed fell on its surface, or rocky ground with less soil and the seed cannot penetrate its roots for it is full of rock at the bottom, or thorny thistle that the seed can choke, and the rich soil, good soil that it can yield abundant produce.  All of these are recipients of the Word of God.  What matters is how we accept the Word.