Daily Readings - Sat Sep 23 2023
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 profound importance of faith and the nurturing of God's word within us. The first reading from 1 Timothy emphasizes a charge to uphold the commandment and anticipate the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the King of kings. This passage underscores the significance of steadfast faith and the ultimate revelation of God's power. Similarly, the Gospel from Luke presents the parable of the sower, illustrating how the seed of God's word is received in different ways, symbolized by the various soils. This parable invites us to reflect on how we receive and nurture God's message in our lives.
Both readings connect through their emphasis on preparation and receptivity. In 1 Timothy, the focus is on the expectation of Christ's return, urging us to remain faithful and unwavering. The parable in Luke's Gospel complements this by highlighting the importance of creating fertile ground in our hearts for God's word to take root. Just as the sower scatters seeds, God graciously offers His word to all, but the response varies. The good soil represents those who, with open and noble hearts, allow the word to flourish, bearing fruit through patience and perseverance.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to examine our own receptivity to God's word. Are we like the rocky ground, where faith withers under trial, or the thorny soil, where worldly concerns choke the word? Or are we the good soil, where the word takes root and bears fruit? As we navigate life's challenges, may we strive to nurture our faith, trusting in God's power and grace. Let us cultivate patience and perseverance, allowing the word of God to transform us, so that we may bear fruit abundantly in our journey with Him.