DAILY HOMILIES #parable of the sower

Some of us believe that so long as you have given your life to Christ (received baptism), heaven is sure regardless of what you do. This was the problem Jeremiah addressed in today’s first reading. How do you engage in horrific acts (stealing, murder, adultery, idolatry, etc.) secretly and then come publicly before God in His temple to say, “We are safe”? Do you think God is blind?

Jesus taught that while the manna was earthly food (never satisfies), the bread from heaven truly satisfies. The people said: “Give us this bread always.” Jesus replied: “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35). In other words, to have Jesus is better than having the whole world.

Applying today’s Gospel passage to the concept of parenthood, we can interpret the parable of the sower in this way: The soil represents the parents. While some parents provide a nurturing ground for their children to blossom, others are like rocky, thorny or roadside paths. Not minding the “nature-nurture argument”, we can never underestimate the importance of proper upbringing.

The question is: Which category do I belong? Do I let God’s Words find root in my daily life? Do I tell myself, it is impossible to obey God? Do I love riches (mammon) more than God?

My heart really goes out to those seeds that fell on rocky ground. These are really good Christians who are so excited about the things of God but lack roots in them. They cannot withstand trial because they are sweet-sweet-milk-and-sugar Christians.