Daily Readings - Sun Jul 12 2020

¹⁰"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,¹¹so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Romans

Chapter 8

¹⁸For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.¹⁹For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.²⁰For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope²¹that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.²²For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.²³And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Matthew

Chapter 13

¹That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.²And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach.³And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow.⁴And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.⁵Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil,⁶but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.⁷Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.⁸Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.⁹He who has ears, let him hear."

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the power of God’s word and the hope of eternal life amidst the struggles of this world. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear that just as rain and snow bring life to the earth, so too does God’s word accomplish its purpose in those who receive it. This passage, written to the Israelites in exile, offers a message of hope and renewal, reminding us that God’s word is not empty but fruitful, bringing life and nourishment to those who hear it. The second reading from Romans deepens this theme by speaking of the suffering of the present time in light of the future glory that awaits us. Paul reminds us that creation itself groans in anticipation of redemption, and we, as children of God, also groan inwardly as we await the fullness of our adoption. This passage encourages us to endure trials with patience, knowing that the glory to come far outweighs the struggles of the present. In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the sower, where seed falls on different types of soil, representing the various ways people respond to God’s word. Some hearts are hardened, others are shallow, and still, others are consumed by the cares of the world. But when the word falls on good soil, it bears abundant fruit. This parable challenges us to examine the condition of our own hearts and to nurture our relationship with God, so that His word may take root and flourish in us. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do we receive God’s word in our lives? Do we allow it to take root and transform us, or do we let the challenges of the world harden our hearts? May we trust in God’s promise that His word will not return empty, and may we endure the trials of this life with hope, knowing that the glory of eternal life awaits us. Let us strive to be the good soil, fertile and receptive, so that we may bear fruit in abundance for the Lord.