“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.” (Mt 13:1).
Jesus sits and the people gather. Jesus is the focal point, the teacher, to those who come to hear him speak, but as they come, there are so many that Jesus enters the boat so more would have a clearer view of him and because sound travels better on water, more could hear him. The deeper meaning of the large crowds is that Jesus is speaking to the whole world.
Again, as we heard a few Sundays ago, Jesus shares the parable of the sower and the seed. God is the sower and Jesus is the seed. Not everyone of the many who hear his word receive it in such a sufficient way that bears fruit. Some are distracted, some allow Satan to take the seed sown, while others allow the worries and anxieties to choke out any new growth. We are invited to prepare ourselves to receive the Word of God, to prepare rich soil by hearing and understanding the Word of God, Jesus the Christ, in the depths of our souls. There we are to nurture the seed of his life within us, be conformed to him, and bear fruit by, birthing Jesus; proclaiming his message to others, yielding a bounty harvest of thirty, sixty, a hundred fold!
Over twelve years ago, JoAnn and I were invited to hear a speaker who was offering a program that would help supplement our income. I don’t remember the program at all, but what struck me that evening as the gentlemen walked the stage was, wouldn’t it be great if this guy was talking about Jesus! God, in that moment, planted a seed that I heard and understood. What followed, I will offer the short version, was that I was led to return to Catholicism and start to attend St Peter Catholic Church. I was led to teach no longer at a public school, but a Catholic school – Rosarian Academy. While there I entered the formation program for the permanent diaconate, was ordained in 2013, and in a few weeks I will begin my fourth year of teaching Theology and assisting in campus ministry at Cardinal Newman High School, preaching, and now writing this blog. My hope is that the Holy Spirit has and continues to work through me in helping others to prepare rich soil and to receive Jesus in their hearts, minds and souls.
This summer I have felt the Lord leading me to step in the boat with him to share to a larger crowd. Knowing nothing of social media, I took Jesus’ hand and he has led me to start this blog. Not knowing where to start, I felt guided to share reflections on the Gospel of the Day because it is in the Gospels we can read about Jesus, get to know him and his teachings. I want to share him with others, sow the seeds of his life and words, and to invite others to get to know him, to get up on that stage and talk about Jesus!
God has been and will continue to sow seeds in your life. He is calling you as well to prepare rich soil to receive his Son and guiding you in ways to nurture his growth in your life so you too can sow the seeds of his word and life in your realm of influence near and far. Resist those temptations of the mind that say, I have nothing to say, nothing I can do, I am too young, I am too old, too busy. I do not know how God has or is inviting you, but he is. Be not afraid! Read this Gospel passage, meditate, and imagine yourself as part of the crowd listening to Jesus in the boat. What is his invitation to you? Return to this meditation often this week. Spend time in his word, read about the lives of the saints, look for God working in the daily experiences of your life, and spend quiet time in prayer to discuss with Jesus his will and above all listen and seek to understand. You are not alone.
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Mass readings for today, Wednesday, July 26, 2017:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072617.cfm
Resource for reading the lives of the Saints. Today the feast of Joachim and Anne, the parents of Mary, the grandparents of Jesus. Good saints to being with!:
Spiritual Stepping Stones 