15th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A
Saint Matthew in today’s gospel reading from the gospel of Saint Matthew 13:1-23 tells us the parable of the sower which shows us the generosity of God in giving us His word and pouring Himself into our souls thereby sowing His word into our lives. This parable of the sower also reminds us of the demands of discipleship which are very essential in helping us grow in our faith and in coming closer to God. What are these demands of discipleship? They are: Hearing and listening to the gospel of Christ, Understanding the gospel of Christ, Accepting the gospel of Christ and Practicing the gospel of Christ.
Hearing and listening to the gospel of Christ means paying attention to or hearing something with thoughtful attention. Do we really pay attention to God in our lives today? Do we truly hear the gospel of Christ with firm, thoughtful and dedicated attention as His disciples?
Understanding the gospel of Christ means comprehending or having a deeper insight on the message of Christ to us. Do we take our time to know more about God as His children? Do we really try to know the meaning and significance of the gospel of Christ? How often do we spend time on learning and researching about our faith, and the doctrines and teachings of the Catholic Church?
Accepting the gospel of Christ means truly believing in the gospel of Christ and recognizing its importance in our lives. How strong is our belief in God and how do we strengthen that belief? Have we recognized and appreciated the importance of God in our lives and in our world today?
My dear brothers and sisters, let us make the Word of God fruitful and effective in our lives today by sincerely striving to hear and listen to His word; by making the effort to understand the gospel of Christ; by wholeheartedly accepting God’s word into our lives and by witnessing to the gospel of Christ as we put all our faith, hope and trust in God.
