Reflection on Today’s Gospel – Lk 8:4-15
A parable about the word of God
Jesus' teaching is intended to emphasize the importance of the word of God in the life of the disciples. When a disciple accepts the word of God in the right way, i.e. with a noble and good heart, with faith, perseverance, with generosity, it changes his life, builds a friendship with Jesus in him, enables him to understand the mysteries of God's kingdom and leads him to salvation. In the image of the four soils, symbolizing human attitudes towards the word of God, one can also see the gradual development of the absorption of the word of God by an individual. In approaching God's word, the most important thing is not how old a person is or under what circumstances, but the inner desire to accept this word. The disciple does not learn the word of God at once, but needs to enter the path of formation that will transform him from a passive listener into a committed witness. The grace of God is always at the beginning of this process, but it only matter, how the person uses it.
The Most Important Grain
Christ's words really are tiny as a grain, they are so easily overlooked, so tiny, so tiny compared to other great things, they are inconspicuous. And it is very easy to give up reading a Gospel passage every evening. It is very easy to give up listening to the Word of God that is preached at Mass, because it seems as insignificant as one little grain to all the millions of seeds, words that are passed on to us constantly from morning to night. Those words that reach us whether we like it or not. One little grain, but all the other grains will grow weeds, and this grain will grow bread. The Eucharist is food for eternal life, it is a tiny grain, insignificant, inconspicuous and most important.
Lord, do not let me be deaf to Your Word, but give me a warm, generous heart, ready to receive Your Word, so that in my life it may bear fruit worthy of Your glory.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george