Daily Readings - Sat Sep 17 2022
1 Corinthians
35But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?36Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:37And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:42So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:43It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.45And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.46Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.47The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.48As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.49And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.50Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Luke
4And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:5A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.6And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.8And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.9And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?10And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.11Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.12Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.13They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.14And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.15But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the mystery of transformation and the call to openness to God’s word. In the first reading from 1 Corinthians, St. Paul uses the image of a seed to explain the resurrection of the dead. Just as a seed must die and be buried in the earth before it can sprout into new life, our bodies, though weak and corruptible now, will one day rise in glory, power, and as spiritual bodies. Paul emphasizes that our earthly bodies are not the final reality; they are but a shadow of the heavenly bodies we will one day receive. This teaching reassures us that death is not the end but a transformation, a passage from the earthly to the heavenly.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the sower, which complements Paul’s teaching. The seed represents the word of God, and the different types of soil symbolize the various ways people respond to that word. Some hear the word but let it be stolen away by distractions or temptations. Others receive it with enthusiasm but lack the depth to sustain it through trials. Still, others allow the cares and riches of the world to choke its growth. Only those with good and noble hearts, who receive the word with patience and perseverance, bear fruit. Jesus’ parable reminds us that the word of God has the power to transform us, but we must create the conditions for it to take root and flourish in our lives.
Both readings call us to reflect on our own openness to God’s word and our readiness to embrace the transformation He offers. Just as the seed must die to produce new life, we must let go of our old selves—our sins, our fears, our attachments—to rise to new life in Christ. Let us ask ourselves: What kind of soil am I? Do I allow the word of God to take root in my heart, or do I let the pressures of the world suffocate it? May we strive to be the good soil, nurturing the word with faith and patience, so that we may bear fruit in abundance and live with hope in the promise of eternal life.