Parable of the Sower

Saturday,
September 19, 2015
24th Week
in Ordinary Time
1st reading: 1 Ti 6.13-16
Gospel: Luke 8:4-15

As a great crowd ga-thered and people came to him from every town, Jesus began teaching them through stories, or parables, “The sower went out to sow the seed. And as he sowed, some of the grain fell along the way, was trodden on and the birds of the sky ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and no sooner had it come up than it withered, because it had no water. Some fell among thorns; the thorns grew up with the seed and choked it. But some fell on good soil and grew, produ-cing fruit – a hundred times as much.” And Jesus cried out, “Listen then, if you have ears to hear!” (…)

Now, this is the point of the parable: Those on the rocky ground are people who receive the word with joy, but they have no root; they believe for a while and give way in time of trial. Among the thorns are people who hear the word but as they go their way, are choked by worries, riches, and the pleasures of life; they bring no fruit to maturity. The good soil, instead, are people who receive the word and keep it in a gentle and generous mind, and persevering patiently, they bear fruit.

D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)

The devil’s favorite castle is our pride, his trap our apprehensions, his weapon of attack our temptations, and his Trojan horse our happiness (p.a.t.h.). Let’s begin with pride. At the center of “pride” is the letter I. A proud person is one who places himself at the center of everything. The same letter does not appear in the word “Church”; at its center are the letters “U” and “R”. I am at the center of pride because I choose to as a proud person. But you are (u, r) at the center of the Church because God has designed his Church to be so.

Apprehension is also the devil’s efficient trap because it draws people away from faith. That’s why Jesus said, “Fear is useless”. But temptation is still the devil’s favorite weapon. He does it gradually, starting with things that are neither good nor bad. Then he surreptitiously opens forbidden doors that lead unsuspecting victims to perdition.

The devil’s Trojan horse is happiness. Like Sigmund Freud the devil knows that pleasure is an ingredient in all human motivations. Happiness that the devil offers is different from joy in the Lord. Happiness depends on happenings while joy lies at the heart of a person doing God’s will. Joy is best attained by arranging your values this way: Jesus first, others second, and yourself last (j.o.y.).

Thus far are the devils’ ways in leading us to perdition. Forewarned is forearmed.—Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.frdan.org.

May comment ka ba sa column ni Father Dan? May tanong ka ba sa kanya? I-type ang BANDERA REACT at i-send sa 4467.