July 24, 2015 Friday, 16th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading:
Exodus 20:1-17
Gospel: Mt 13:18-23
Jesus said to his disciples, “Now listen to the parable of the sower. When a person hears the message of the Kingdom but without taking it to himself, the devil comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed that fell along the footpath. The seed that fell on rocky ground stands for the one who hears the word and accepts it at once with joy. But this fickle and has no roots. No sooner is he harassed or persecuted because of the word, than he gives up. The seed that fell among the thistles is the one who hears the word, but then the worries of this life and the love of money choke the word, and it does not bear fruit. As for the seed that fell on good soil it is the one who hears the word and understands it; this bears fruit and produces a hundred, or sixty, or thirty times more.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Who says luck is pure chance? “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”, wrote Elmer Letterman (TSQB, Roy B. Zuck). At the spiritual level, preparation refers to human disposition while opportunity refers to God’s initiative. When both are present, God’s blessings abound.
Today’s Gospel scene shows four categories of human disposition. To the first belong those who “sacrifice” themselves for the Word; to the second those who “embrace” the Word but vacillate because of economic challenges; to the third those who “excuse” themselves fearing persecutions; to the fourth, those who “decline” the Word altogether. (The words in quotation marks form the word “seed”). Only the first category brings to full operation God’s initiative thereby summoning abundant graces and blessings from above. The other three categories limit God’s initiative.
Why should human disposition limit God’s initiative? Blame it on human freedom. God’s deep respect for human freedom results to so much power in human hands to exclude God in human affairs. This is enshrined in the Church’s teachings encapsulated in the Latin phrases ‘ex opere operato’ and ‘ex opere operantis’. “Ex opere operato” refers to God’s intervention through the Sacraments. When the sacraments are celebrated in compliance with all formal requisites, grace flows in abundance. “Ex opere operantis” refers to human disposition. Notwithstanding the overflow of grace each time sacraments are celebrated, a person participating therein with hearts full of evil desires will not derive maximum spiritual benefits.
If luck isn’t pure chance, neither is grace! – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM . Email: [email protected]. Website: www.frdan.org.
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