The 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A
Jesus in today’s gospel reading from the Holy gospel according to Saint Matthew, chapter 13, verse 1 to 23 gives 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 as follows: Listening to the gospel of Christ, Understanding the gospel of Christ, Accepting the gospel of Christ and Practicing the gospel of Christ.
Listening to the gospel of Christ means paying attention to the Word of God or hearing the Word of God with thoughtful attention. Do we really pay attention to God’s word in our lives today? Do we truly listen to the gospel of Christ with firm, rapt and dedicated attention as His disciples?
Understanding the gospel of Christ means comprehending the word of God explained to us in the homily; or having a deeper insight on the message of Christ proclaimed to us at Mass or read by us during our Scriptural reading. 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 reading the Bible, learning and researching about our faith, and the doctrines and teachings of the Catholic Church?
Accepting the gospel of Christ means saying “YES” to God’s word. It entails truly believing in the gospel of Christ and recognizing its importance and significance in our lives. Do we truly accept the word of God proclaimed and explained to us by the Church? Have we let the word of God we have listened to deepen and strengthen our belief in God? Have we recognized and appreciated the importance of God in our lives and in our world today?
Practicing the gospel of Christ means living out the teachings of Jesus Christ in our daily lives. It entails knowing more about God and putting the knowledge of God into action. When we talk about putting the knowledge of God into action, it means living out our faith in Him by loving one another, by sharing our belief in Him with the world and by being obedient to Him. Are we putting into practice the word of God we have heard and received? Are we living out our faith in Him by being obedient to Him, by loving one another as He loves us and by sharing our Catholic beliefs with all?
My dear brothers and sisters, let us make the word of God fruitful and effective in our lives today by sincerely striving to listen to His word; by making the effort to understand the gospel of Christ explained to us; by wholeheartedly accepting God’s word into our lives and by truly witnessing to the gospel of Christ in the world when we live out His gospel with faith, hope and trust in Him.
