Gospel Reading for July 23, 2025 – Matthew 13: 1-9
CONSTANTLY OPEN
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.”
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When we sow seeds, soil preparation is of utmost importance for the seed to survive and grow into a plant or tree.
Likewise, the Word of God will survive and grow in our hearts, only if our eyes, ears and minds are CONSTANTLY OPEN. This way, when the Word is spoken, it becomes “… living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”(Hebrews 4: 12). We cannot shut down every once in a while or when we choose to, otherwise we will not benefit from God’s Word.
How tragic it would be, that while there are those who would have benefited from God’s Word but did not have the opportunity to hear it, we who have all the means to benefit from it just take it for granted. And, alas for us if we would lose the opportunity because it was TOO LATE.
Speak Lord, your servants are listening!
