“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”
Daily Reflections
Sunday, 16th June 2017.
Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Is 55: 10-11;
Ps 64:10-14;
Rom 8:18-23;
Mt 13:1-23.
SEEDS OF MERCIFUL LOVE
“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.” This is not a common experience. It is clear that people were in such awe of our Lord that they were drawn to Him with a holy and divine attraction. The crowds were mesmerized by Jesus and they hung on His every word. They were so drawn to Him that they crowded along the shore to listen as Jesus spoke from the boat. This should pose a question to you on a personal level. Are you drawn to listen to Jesus in a similar way? There are many things we find ourselves drawn to. It may be some hobby, or a personal interest, perhaps it’s our job or some other aspect of our life. But what about our Lord and His holy Word? How drawn to Him are you?
In the modern world we find that one of the difficult things in life is to listen to somebody. We are very poor in listening, may be listening to others or to our own selves. In the gospel passage today the parable is about listening to the word of God, and being receptive to the words of truth. This parable invites us to be open to God and the seeds that he sends on our way. This parable points to the extravagant generosity and boundless love of God. The sower when he sows the seeds does not discriminate, does not pick and choose. He scatters his seeds, his word, his truth anywhere and everywhere. He is generous beyond measure with what he has to offer. He knows that it will somehow reach the richest soil.
The Catholic Church is a church of rocks, and thorns, besieged by birds – and yet, amid this vast and surprising garden, God’s smallest seeds find fertile ground. His Word takes root. In the life of the church and believer, the sower doesn’t change. The seed doesn’t change. What changes is the soil. What changes are the conditions that allow the seed to be planted. What changes is the environment that lets the seed bear fruit. And we may never know where, or how, it will happen.
Today God sets about doing his great work: a sower goes out to sow. He sows in a world tangled with doubt and disbelief, shaded and clouded by forces that do not want the seed to grow, that would prefer that the planet be an arid desert. And still God sows. He never stops. In this context a question may arise in our hearts - are we willing to help him? Are we willing to listen? To keep our minds and hearts open to His word? Are we willing to clear away some of the weeds and rocks in our lives - whatever pride or skepticism or distraction is getting in the way - and give those seeds a chance? Are we ready to receive what the sower has to offer? No matter what the condition of our soil, no matter how barren the ground or thorny the field, each of us can bring forth a harvest.
In the first reading not only does Isaiah compare God’s Word with rain, but he also compares it with snow – something else that is often not truly appreciated for what it really does. The main purpose of snow, like rain, is to provide water and moisture for the earth so that plants and trees are able to grow and live. Above all we have to notice what God says about their purpose. They always accomplish it, he says. Every time they come down, they always provide a very necessary ingredient in the germination, growth, and production of seeds planted in the earth. Yes, providing this moisture is the purpose of snow and rain. And as God says, they always accomplish their purpose. Therefore as the Word of God comes in different forms, we need to have an aspiration to listen and then practice it in our day today life.
Ideally, we should discover within our hearts a burning desire to be with Jesus, to know Him, love Him and encounter His mercy more fully in our lives. There should be a tug on our hearts that is placed there by Jesus Himself. This tug becomes a divine attraction that becomes the central motivation for our lives. From this attraction we respond to Him, listen to Him and give our lives more fully to Him. This is a grace given to those who are open and are ready and willing to hear and respond. Let us ponder upon the merciful Heart of our Lord calling us to turn to Him. Let us allow Him to draw us in and respond by giving our time and attention to Him.
For Carmelites, Mary is in a very special way the model of quiet, intimate prayer for she pondered all things in her heart and she persevered in prayer with the disciples. The scapular is a reminder of Mary’s commitment to us and our commitment to Mary. It is a reminder of her constant presence in our lives and her interest in us. She really is a Mother and a Sister, leading us and guiding us to Christ her Son in whom we find salvation. She is with us in life and in death. Wearing the scapular is intended to be an outward reminder of what should be going on within. The danger with any outward sign is that it remains merely outward and therefore the stress today is on the necessity of living what the scapular symbolizes. Mary is seen to be the perfect example of what it means to follow Christ. The meaning of the scapular today can perhaps be summed up in one of the prayers over the people at the end of the mass of the Solemnity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel: “Lord, grant that those who in devotion have put on the habit of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, may put on her virtues also and enjoy her unfailing protection”.
Prayer: Lord, my life is Yours. Please draw me into Your most merciful Heart. Help me to be mesmerized by Your splendor and goodness. I give to You all the powers of my soul, dear Lord. Please take me and lead me according to Your most holy will. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.