The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Joachim and St. Ann

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Exodus 33:7-11; 34:5-9, 28
Psalm 103:6-13
Matthew 13:36-43

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

We have been hearing in recent daily gospel readings about the kingdom of God and how seeds, sowing, growing, reaping, soil and so forth resemble the kingdom. Let us reflect on this idea just a bit more.

Jesus points out that we need good seed and soil for a crop to grow healthy and strong. But what else is needed? Certainly water, abundant sunshine, maybe some fertilizer and some cultivation to allow all the water and nutrients to pass freely to the roots of the crop. While not mentioned in the parables, I think these things must be present in our lives as Christians if we are to grow in Him.

We need a daily watering of prayer. Prayer is that time we have with the Lord when our souls are filled with the Lord Himself as he brings us living water.

We need the abundant sunshine of Holy Communion. As all things grow with energy from the sun, we too grow with the blessing of the Eucharist.

We need the fertilizer of the Word of God in regular scripture reading. This is from where our nourishment comes and where we get the good things we need to grow.

Finally, we need the regular cultivation found in reconciliation and penance. This is where the crusty, hard parts of our soil are broken down so the water, sun and word can pass to our roots and help us grow as Christians.

So, we have the seed, sower, reaper and all things in between. With these, Jesus’ crop grows strong and healthy.

- Don Claunch, SFO
(dlclaunch at bresnan dot net)

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