Daily Readings - Sat Sep 22 2018
1 Corinthians
35But someone may say, "How do the dead rise again?" or, "What type of body do they return with?36How foolish! What you sow cannot be brought back to life, unless it first dies37And what you sow is not the body that will be in the future, but a bare grain, such as of wheat, or of some other grain42So it is also with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown in corruption shall rise to incorruption43What is sown in dishonor shall rise to glory. What is sown in weakness shall rise to power44What is sown with an animal body shall rise with a spiritual body. If there is an animal body, there is also a spiritual one.45Just as it was written that the first man, Adam, was made with a living soul, so shall the last Adam be made with a spirit brought back to life46So what is, at first, not spiritual, but animal, next becomes spiritual47The first man, being earthly, was of the earth; the second man, being heavenly, will be of heaven48Such things as are like the earth are earthly; and such things as are like the heavens are heavenly49And so, just as we have carried the image of what is earthly, let us also carry the image of what is heavenly50Now I say this, brothers, because flesh and blood is not able to possess the kingdom of God; neither will what is corrupt possess what is incorrupt
Luke
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 encounter powerful themes of transformation and growth, inviting us to reflect on our spiritual journeys. The first reading from 1 Corinthians explores the mystery of the resurrection, where Paul uses the analogy of a seed to illustrate the transformation from a physical body to a spiritual one. This passage reassures us that our current form is not the final one; God's plan is one of glorious transformation. The context of this passage is Paul addressing doubts in the Corinthian church about the resurrection, emphasizing that the resurrected body, though different, is real and part of God's divine plan.
In the Gospel from Luke, Jesus shares the parable of the sower, where the seed represents the word of God. The different soils symbolize the various responses to this word—some reject it, others accept it superficially, and a few nurture it to bear fruit. This parable, part of Jesus' teachings on the kingdom of God, highlights the importance of receptivity and perseverance in our spiritual lives. The connection between the two readings lies in their focus on transformation: in Corinthians, it's the body's transformation, and in Luke, it's the heart's transformation through God's word.
Applying these teachings to our daily lives, we are called to be like the good soil—open, receptive, and nurturing. In a world filled with distractions and challenges, we must cultivate our hearts to allow God's word to take root and grow. The moral lesson here is the importance of spiritual receptivity and perseverance. Just as a seed requires fertile soil, water, and patience to bear fruit, our faith requires dedication and trust in God's transformative power. Let us strive to be the good soil, trusting that God's word will bring forth a bountiful harvest in our lives.