Daily Readings - Sat Sep 20 2025
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 enduring power of God and the importance of nurturing our faith. The first reading from 1 Timothy urges us to remain faithful and steadfast, observing the commandments without reproach as we await Christ's return. It emphasizes God's sovereignty and immortality, highlighting His role as the King of kings and Lord of lords. This passage calls us to fidelity and perseverance, trusting in God's eternal dominion.
The Gospel from Luke presents the parable of the sower, where Jesus teaches about the various responses to the Word of God. The seed, symbolizing God's Word, falls on different soils, representing the different ways people receive it. The path, rock, and thorns signify those who fail to nurture the Word, while the good soil represents those who hear, embrace, and bear fruit. This parable invites us to reflect on how receptive our hearts are to God's message.
Connecting these readings, we see that maintaining faith and allowing the Word of God to take root in our lives are essential. Just as 1 Timothy calls us to steadfastness, the parable encourages us to be the good soil where God's Word flourishes. In our daily lives, this means creating space for the Word to transform us, avoiding distractions, and nurturing our faith through prayer and reflection. The moral lesson is clear: rooted faith and perseverance are vital for spiritual growth. Let us strive to be the good soil, bearing fruit in patience and fidelity, trusting in God's eternal plan.