First reading Jeremiah 1:1,4-10
Go and say whatever I command you and do not fear
The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, of a priestly family living at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.
The word of the Lord was addressed to me, saying,
‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
before you came to birth I consecrated you;
I have appointed you as prophet to the nations.’
I said, ‘Ah, Lord; look, I do not know how to speak: I am a child!’
But the Lord replied,
‘Do not say, “I am a child.”
Go now to those to whom I send you
and, say whatever I command you.
Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to protect you –
it is the Lord who speaks!’
Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me:
‘There! I am putting my words into your mouth.
Look, today I am setting you
over nations and over kingdoms,
to tear up and to knock down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.’
Responsorial Psalm 70(71):1-6,15,17
My lips will tell of your help.
In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, free me:
pay heed to me and save me.
Be a rock where I can take refuge,
a mighty stronghold to save me;
for you are my rock, my stronghold.
Free me from the hand of the wicked.
It is you, O Lord, who are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, since my youth.
On you I have leaned from my birth,
from my mother’s womb you have been my help.
My lips will tell of your justice
and day by day of your help.
O God, you have taught me from my youth
and I proclaim your wonders still.
Gospel Matthew 13:1-9
A sower went out to sow
Jesus left the house and sat by the lakeside, but such large crowds gathered round him that he got into a boat and sat there. The people all stood on the beach, and he told them many things in parables.
He said, ‘Imagine a sower going out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on patches of rock where they found little soil and sprang up straight away, because there was no depth of earth; but as soon as the sun came up they were scorched and, not having any roots, they withered away. Others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Others fell on rich soil and produced their crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Listen, anyone who has ears!’
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The persistent sower
In today’s parable, Jesus spoke of a sower who went out to the field and sowed the seed anywhere and everywhere, not knowing what soil it would fall on. Likewise, through Jesus, God sowed the seed of His word to all. Out of love, He wanted to reach out to all people regardless of how they would accept and receive it. Today, God continues to sow His life-giving word to us. How open are we to welcome the seed of God’s word? No matter what kind of soil we find ourselves to be at this point in our lives, God is always at work. He never gives up on us.
Jesus constantly invites us to sow God’s word by giving His word of comfort, hope and encouragement to those around us. We keep on sowing regardless of the little or no response we receive. Let us not settle for anything less but strive always to be good soil and, at the same time, sowers of God’s Word.
Question for reflection:
How can I strive to be the good soil that listens to God’s Word and puts it into practice?
How can I strive to be the good soil that listens to God’s Word and puts it into practice?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
