Homily-- Fifteenth Sunday of Year A- Fr. Udoekpo, Michael
Ufok
The Word Perpetually Nourishes Us (B)- Even In this Time
of Pandemic
v Isa
55:10-11
v Ps
10:11-14
v Rom
8:18-23
v Matt
13:1-23
Jesus
loves speaking in parables. He uses them to drive home his point in a manner his
audience—men, women, and children, the rich and the poor, the elite and the
illiterate—can understand. There are many parables in the Gospels, especially in
Matthew 13, that we will read in the coming Sundays and days.
In
the parable of the sower, God’s word, love, commandments, and values have been sown
in four types of soil. The first three soil types are not good enough for the word
of God to grow in. They represent anxiety, worry, tribulation, temptation, anger,
hatred, disobedience, and the sentiments of this world, some of them which we
are witnessing today, in this time of pandemic. The fourth soil represents those who
hear the word of God, understand it, obey it, and let it grow into a fruitful practice
of love, forgiveness, patience, obedience, and love for God and others, no
matter color, race and gender.
Jesus,
who sows the word in this parable, is the God incarnate preached by Isaiah of
Babylon in today’s first reading (Isa 55:10-11). Here we review the theme of Deutero-Isaiah.
Our God is love. He cares for us. He deserves our worship and obedience. He is the
source of creation and the planter of every seed. He constantly fights for us. He
provides for us. Whoever comes to God will be saved. Whoever is planted in God grows
into abundance.
In
fact, God’s word is a messenger who accomplishes God’s will (Isa 55:11). God has
planted us in this world as his seed or word. He expects us to obey him, to bear
abundant fruit in the form of love and kindness, and to rigorously do his will.
But
as God’s word sown, in order to germinate, we struggle and encounter various difficulties—illnesses,
corona virus, distractions, temptations of lust, power, and war, drunkenness, selfishness,
the pursuit of material things, loss of the sense of the sacred, and neglect of
the poor, the aged, and the needy. We can name many other forms of suffering that
we encounter in the name of Christ, the faith we profess, and the mission we cherish.
In
the midst of these, and as Saint Paul puts it in the second reading (Rom 8:18-23),
let us not fail to consider that “the sufferings of this present time are not
worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.” In fact, just as all
creation groans with labor pains, let us bear our suffering patiently, let us
continue to wear those masks, practice personal hygiene and social distancing, patiently, knowing that our redemption is near
at hand—especially as we continue to hold onto the word of God and the values of
Christ our Savior.
Reflection
Questions:
1.
How do you relate to today’s Scripture readings?
2.
What soil have you identified yourself with?
3.
How often do you appreciate the power of the word of God in your life?
4.
Do you see yourself as God’s word sown?
