Daily Readings - Sat Sep 23 2023
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 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.