Daily Readings - Sat Sep 20 2025
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 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.