Daily Readings - Sat Sep 18 2021
1 Timothy
13I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession,14to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,15which he will display at the proper time--he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,16who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
Luke
4And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable:5"A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it.6And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.8And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold." As he said these things, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."9And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant,10he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'11Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.12The ones along the path are those who have heard. Then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.13And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.14And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.15As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with 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.