God loves us and he shows us this love by caring, providing, guiding, convicting, forgiving, healing, and saving us from our fallen tendencies. We are more open to receive his love and the gifts of his presence in our lives when we are willing to acknowledge that God is God, and we are not, and that we need and depend on him. God is our Father, and we are his beloved children.

This may seem like a small matter, but it is not. The moment we begin to place ourselves, anyone, and/or anything before God, we open ourselves up for trouble. We saw this with the kingship of Saul and are now beginning to see the cracks in David’s foundation as king.

Building a temple for God sounds like a reasonable and pious thing to do, but God, through the prophet Nathan convicted David: “Thus says the LORD: Should you build me a house to dwell in” (2 Samuel 7:5)? God then continues to outline how he never had asked before through any of the patriarchs or judges for a dwelling, and shared how he brought David out from the shepherd fields, made him King, defeated his enemies, and provided for him, and it would be God who would build a house and a kingdom that would endure forever.

Jesus helps us to understand how, like David, we can miss the mark when he told and interpreted the Parable of the Sower. God sews his seed as creator and the key is whether we receive it and care for it or not. There are forces that can counter God’s gift, like Satan, the accuser and liar, who through his lies, temptations, and manipulations steals the seeds from us.

Those who do receive them also can have challenges. Some receive them with great joy, but do not savor and care for the gift given. They only receive God’s word in the moment at the surface level of their emotions, but do not do anything to foster its growth. There is no root to anchor them in times of trouble. Anxieties, worries, distractions, and diversions, choke out any growth that may begin after the seeds have taken root and begun to grow.

When we keep God first in our lives before all else, he will help us to prepare our soil so that the seeds he sows finds rich and healthy soil. This takes time and energy on our part to follow his guidance and those in our lives that he speaks through. The effort and discipline expended are well worth the effort and will bear great fruit in our lives and those we serve.

Photo: A pine sapling here at the seminary off to a good start!

Link for the Mass readings for Wednesday, January 24, 2024