Daily Readings - Sat Sep 18 2021
1 Timothy
13I charge you, in the sight of God, who enlivens all things, and in the sight of Christ Jesus, who gave the testimony of a good profession under Pontius Pilate14to observe the commandment, immaculately, irreproachably, unto the return of our Lord Jesus Christ15For at the proper time, he shall reveal the blessed and only Power, the King of kings and the Lord of lords16who alone holds immortality, and who inhabits the inaccessible light, whom no man has seen, nor even is able to see, to whom is honor and everlasting dominion. Amen
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 are reminded of the importance of fidelity to God and the transformative power of His Word in our lives. The first reading from 1 Timothy urges us to observe the commandment blamelessly and to await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. This passage emphasizes the eternal nature of God’s power and the ultimate triumph of His plan. The Gospel from Luke presents the parable of the sower, where Jesus teaches us about the different ways people receive the Word of God. Some hear it but lose it quickly, others receive it with joy but falter in times of trial, and still, others allow the distractions of the world to choke its fruitfulness. Only those with a good and noble heart, who persevere in faith, bear fruit in patience.
The context of these readings is clear: they call us to reflect on how we receive and respond to God’s Word in our own lives. In 1 Timothy, we are reminded of the ultimate revelation of God’s glory, which should inspire us to live with integrity and hope. In the parable of the sower, Jesus invites us to examine the soil of our hearts. Are we like the rocky ground, where faith fades under pressure? Or are we like the thorny soil, where the cares of the world distract us from nurturing God’s Word? The challenge is to become like the good soil, where the Word takes root and flourishes, leading to a life of fruitful discipleship.
As we apply these readings to our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: How do I receive God’s Word? Do I allow it to transform me, or do I let it be stolen away by the pressures and distractions of the world? Let us strive to cultivate hearts that are open, receptive, and patient. May we trust in the power of God’s Word to bring forth fruit in our lives, even in the midst of challenges. The moral lesson is clear: fidelity to God and a deep receptivity to His Word are the keys to a life of true spiritual fruitfulness.