SOWING SEEDS

Readings for Sunday, July 16, 2023

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 103

Il-Ħmistax-il Ħadd taż-Żmien ta’ Matul is-Sena

Reading 1                    ISAAC 55:10-11

Thus says the LORD: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.

Qari 1                  mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija 55, 10-11

Dan jgħid il-Mulej: “Bħalma x-xita u s-silġ jinżlu mis-smewwiet, u ma jerġgħux lura mnejn ġew bla ma jsaqqu l-art, imma jġegħluha tnissel u tnibbet, u tagħti ż-żerriegħa lil min jiżra’ u l-ħobż lil min jiekol, hekk jiġri minn kelmti: hija toħroġ minn fommi, u ma terġax lura vojta, imma tagħmel dak li jogħġob lili, u ttemm dak li nkun bgħattha tagħmel”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                 PSALM 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14

You have visited the land and watered it;
greatly have you enriched it.
God's watercourses are filled;
you have prepared the grain.
R. The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

Thus have you prepared the land: drenching its furrows,
breaking up its clods,
Softening it with showers,
blessing its yield.
R. The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

You have crowned the year with your bounty,
and your paths overflow with a rich harvest;
The untilled meadows overflow with it,
and rejoicing clothes the hills.
R. The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

The fields are garmented with flocks
and the valleys blanketed with grain.
They shout and sing for joy.
R. The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

Salm Responsorjali                Salm 64 (65), 10abcd.10e-11.12-13.14

R/.  Iż-żerriegħa waqgħet f’art tajba, u għamlet il-frott

Inti żżur l-art u ssaqqiha,

u tagħniha bil-ġid tiegħek.
Il-wied ta’ Alla mimli bl-ilma,
il-qamħ tagħhom ħejjejtilhom. R/.

Hekk int tħejjiha:
issaqqi r-raddiet u twitti t-tub tagħha,
bl-irxiex trattabha u tberkilha ż-żrieragħ.
Fawwart is-sena bi tjubitek,
triqatek bil-ġid joqtru. R/.

Joqtru bin-nida l-mergħat tad-deżert,
u bil-ferħ jitħażżmu l-għoljiet.
Il-mergħat jimtlew bl-imrieħel,
il-widien jinksew bil-qamħ;
jgħajtu lkoll u jgħannu bil-ferħ! R/.

Reading 2                ROMANS 8:18-23

Brothers and sisters:  I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us. For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

Qari 2                  mill-Ittra lir-Rumani 8, 18-23

Ħuti, jiena għadni persważ li t-tbatijiet ta’ issa ma għandhom xejn x’jaqsmu mal-glorja li għad trid tidher fina. Il-ħlejjaq kollha qegħdin jistennew ħerqana r-rivelazzjoni ta’ wlied Alla; għax il-ħolqien jinsab taħt il-frugħa – mhux minn rajh, imma minħabba dak li xeħtu taħtha – bit-tama li l-ħlejjaq huma wkoll għad ikunu meħlusa mill-jasar tat-taħsir u jiksbu l-ħelsien tal-glorja ta’ wlied Alla. Aħna nafu li l-ħolqien kollu għadu s’issa jitniehed bl-uġigħ tal- ħlas; u mhux hu biss, imma wkoll aħna li għandna l-ewwel frott tal-Ispirtu, aħna wkoll nitniehdu fina nfusna waqt li nistennew l-adozzjoni ta’ wlied, il-fidwa ta’ ġisimna. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                 MATTHEW 13:1-23

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear." The disciples approached him and said, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" He said to them in reply, "Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see. Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be converted, and I heal them.  "But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. "Hear then the parable of the sower. The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold."

Evanġelju                 Qari skond San Mattew  13, 1-23

Dakinhar Ġesù ħareġ mid-dar, mar f’xatt il-baħar u qagħad bilqiegħda hemm. U nġabru madwaru folol hekk kbar ta’ nies li kellu jitla’ fuq dgħajsa u jinżel bilqiegħda fiha; in-nies qagħdu lkoll wieqfa fuq ix-xatt, u hu beda jkellimhom fuq bosta ħwejjeġ bil-parabboli. U qalilhom: “Darba wieħed bidwi ħareġ jiżra’. Huwa u jiżra’, xi żerrigħat waqgħu mal-mogħdija, ġew l-għasafar u naqqruhom kollha. Oħrajn waqgħu f’art kollha blat, fejn ma kienx hemm wisq ħamrija, u malajr nibtu, għax il-ħamrija ma kinitx fonda; iżda mbagħad telgħet ix-xemx, u nħarqu u nixfu, għax ma kellhomx għeruq. Oħrajn waqgħu qalb ix-xewk, u x-xewk kiber magħhom u ħonoqhom. Imma oħrajn waqgħu f’art tajba, u għamlu l-frott, min mija, min sittin, u min tletin. Min għandu widnejn, ħa jisma!”. Resqu lejh id-dixxipli u staqsew: “Għaliex tkellimhom bil-parabboli?”. Hu weġibhom: “Għax lilkom ingħata li tagħrfu l-misteri tas-Saltna tas-Smewwiet, iżda lilhom dan ma kienx mogħti. Għax kull min għandu, jingħatalu, u jkollu żżejjed ukoll; iżda min ma għandux, jitteħidlu saħansitra dak li għandu. Jien għalhekk inkellimhom bil-parabboli; għax iħarsu kemm iħarsu ma jarawx, u jisimgħu kemm jisimgħu ma jifhmux. U hekk isseħħ fihom il-profezija ta’ Isaija li tgħid, “Tisimgħu kemm tisimgħu ma tifhmux, u tħarsu kemm tħarsu ma tarawx. Għax il-qalb ta’ dan il-poplu twebbset; kienu tqal biex jisimgħu b’widnejhom, u għalqu għajnejhom li ma jmorrux jaraw b’għajnejhom, u jisimgħu b’widnejhom u jifhmu b’moħħhom, u hekk ibiddlu ħajjithom u jiena nfejjaqhom”. Intom, iżda, henjin għajnejkom, għax qegħdin jaraw; henjin widnejkom, għax qegħdin jisimgħu. Tassew, ngħidilkom, li bosta profeti u nies ġusti xtaqu jaraw dak li qegħdin taraw intom u ma rawhx, u jisimgħu dak li qegħdin tisimgħu intom, u ma semgħuhx! Mela isimgħuha intom il-parabbola ta’ dak li ħareġ jiżra’. Kull min jisma’ l-kelma tas-Saltna u ma jifhimhiex, jersaq il-Ħażin u jisraqlu dak li jkun inżera’ f’qalbu: dan huwa dak li nżera’ mal-mogħdija. Dak li nżera’ f’art kollha blat huwa dak li jisma’ l-kelma u jilqagħha minnufih bil-ferħ; imma għeruq ma jkollux fih innifsu, u għalhekk ftit idum; imbagħad jiġi fuqu l-għawġ, jew isib min iħabbtu minħabba l-kelma, u malajr jitfixkel. Dak li nżera’ qalb ix-xewk huwa dak li jisma’ l-kelma iżda l-inkwiet żejjed għall-ħwejjeġ tad-dinja u l-ġibda għall-ġid tal-art joħonqulu l-kelma, li għalhekk ma tagħmilx frott. Dak imbagħad li nżera’ f’art tajba huwa dak li jisma’ l-kelma u jifhimha; u tassew hu jagħmel il-frott; dan jagħmel mija, dak sittin, u l-ieħor tletin”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr. Tommy Lane  

WHERE DO WE FIT IN?

We are advised to take care of our heart, to watch our diet, to exercise, to undergo cardiovascular screening. But there is another heart, our spiritual heart. Jesus spoke often about our spiritual heart. Listen to some of what Jesus said about our heart:

"This people honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me" (Matt 15:8)

"…the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile". (Matt 15:18)

"…from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, false witness, blasphemy." (Matt 15:19)

"You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Matt 22:37)

"Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so." (Matt 19:8)

"So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.” (Matt 18:35)

"For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be." (Matt 6:21)

Clearly according to Jesus following him begins in our heart and if our spiritual heart is unwell, it hinders our response to Jesus. So Jesus quotes Isaiah in Sunday’s Gospel:  "Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes…"   (Matt 13:15)   

On another occasion we read that Jesus was grieved by peoples’ hardness of heart (Mark 3:5).

What is the state of our heart? 

Is our heart open to receiving the words of Jesus or are we hard of heart and a source of grief to Jesus? We like to think of ourselves as good people and in that sense we are the fertile soil that received the seed and produced much fruit. But since none of us is yet a saint, we each have areas in our heart in need of spiritual cardiac surgery. We can compare ourselves to the people in the parable to see where we stand.

The first type of person is this one:  "The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart." (Matt 13:19)   This seed unfortunately doesn’t even get a chance to sprout because it didn’t land on soil. There was a lack of understanding and the evil one stole away the word of God. Do we ever reject part of the message of the Gospel because we do not understand it? 

Do we say we are Catholic but due to lack of understanding the faith also give support to what contradicts Catholic teaching because we do not understood and think we know better? There are reasons why the Church teaches what she does. Have we allowed prejudice or lack of understanding to prevent us from seeking to understand, and so reject part of the Gospel? Whenever we reject part of the message of the Gospel, to use the words of Jesus today, the evil one has stolen the word from our heart.

The second type of person is this one: The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. (Matt 13:20-21)  This time the seed does get to sprout but when the cross comes— “tribulation or persecution”—we give up. Have we ever been moved at a parish mission or the Eucharistic Congress but did not continue to walk a new way with Jesus for some reason? Have we ever been moved in our heart by God through a good experience in Confession or at Mass or in private prayer, but we quickly went back to our old way of life because we could not see beyond some temporary difficulty or disappointment?

The third type of person is this one: The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. (Matt 13:22)  It is “worldly anxiety and lure of riches” that in this case hinder our hearts from being receptive to Jesus. Are there times when we are too busy to pray? Have we missed Mass because we were too busy or made up some other excuse? Are we too busy to read the Bible? Whenever we put “worldly anxiety and lure of riches” before God the word dies.

Finally the fourth type of person is this one:  the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. (Matt 13:23)   Thanks be to God that we each, in many ways, hear the word, understand it, and bear fruit.

There is some of each of these four types of person in us. We could be all four of these persons at once, or predominantly one of these types of person for a certain time of life. We can do some cardiac surgery on our spiritual hearts so that misunderstanding and prejudice, or disappointment and the cross, or worldly anxiety and the lure of riches will not render our hearts unfertile soil for the Jesus’ words, so that we do not grieve Jesus: the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. (Matt 13:23)

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