My brothers and sisters,
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
This past Wednesday, many of the priests of our diocese traveled a long distance to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of our brother priest, Fr. Paul John Irumba. The journey took time and effort, but it was worth every mile because love always finds a reason to go. We did not travel because it was convenient; we traveled because relationships matter.
Today’s Scripture reminds us of another journey—the journey of God’s Word into our hearts. Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord tells us that just as rain and snow water the earth and make it fruitful, so His Word never returns empty. It always accomplishes His purpose. God’s Word is alive, powerful, and faithful. It changes lives whenever it finds a welcoming heart.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells the familiar parable of the sower. The seed is the same, but the soil is different. Sometimes our hearts are like the hard path, distracted by worries or hardened by disappointments. At other times they are shallow, enthusiastic for a moment but lacking deep roots. Sometimes the thorns of anxiety, material concerns, or selfish ambitions choke God’s life within us. Yet there are also moments when our hearts become rich soil, receiving God’s Word with faith and producing abundant fruit.
Perhaps the greatest lesson of this parable is not about the soil but about the generosity of the sower. God never stops sowing. He does not give up on us because of yesterday’s failures. He continues to scatter His grace with hope, trusting that one day His Word will take root and bear fruit. This week, make time to listen. Spend ten quiet minutes with the Gospel. Read it slowly. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you one word or phrase that speaks to your heart. Carry that word with you throughout the day and allow it to shape your thoughts, your choices, and your relationships.
May we become good soil where Jesus Christ, the Living Word, grows abundantly. Then, through our words of kindness, our acts of mercy, and our faithful witness, others will encounter the love of God. May His Word bear fruit in us—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold—for His glory and the salvation of the world. Amen.
God Loves You!
~ Fr. Neil