HOMILY WEEK 16 05 – Year II
Being Good Soil for the Word of God:
Optional Memorial of St. Sharbel Makhluf
(Jer 3:14-17; Jer 31:10-13; Mt 13:18-23)
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The three readings today form a smooth progression, starting with the responsorial psalm. That psalm is actually taken from Jeremiah, portraying God as a shepherd who will shepherd God’s people by redeeming them and restoring them – basically, by forgiving and healing them.
The first reading from Jeremiah invites us to come to the Lord for that forgiveness and healing, and to surrender our stubborn evil ways and self-will.
In the gospel, Jesus spells out what that response to God’s love should look like – an intense focus on the Word of God – not just hearing it but taking it to heart, letting it be rooted in our spirit, living out the word and letting it bear fruit in our lives.
Some people are like the path – they might hear or read the Word of God, but it makes not even a dent on them, no change, no effect – they prove impervious to it and it just bounces off them.
Some are like rocky soil – they hear the word, and it germinates, but lacks depth and goes nowhere, making no real difference. They are like persons who experience a weekend like Cursillo, are on a high for a week, then go back to their old ways of life.
Others are like thorns – they hear the word and take it somewhat seriously, perhaps even sign up for a bible study, but eventually get busy about so many other things and drop out of whatever they might have started due to busyness and lack of time.
Others are like good soil – they read the Word of God, pray with it, ponder its meaning, and try to live it. The will of God, for Jesus, is that we fall in love with his Word, integrate it in our lives, and allow it to transform us from within. As one person put it – we are to live in the will of God.
There is another dimension to this parable, in that we are not to be just good soil, but also the one who sows. We can and should see ourselves as people who out of love for the Word of God and our fellow human beings on this journey of life, also proclaim, promote and spread the Word of God generously and without counting the cost. God’s love is prodigal and extravagant, and we should imitate that extravagance by doing what we can to share the Good News of our salvation, the life-giving scriptures, with others in creative and innovative ways.
For me, that entails the commitment to post a homily a day first on my website, then on Facebook, and then send it out to a list of around 450 recipients. Finally, I will either video record that homily, or a similar one that sometimes emerges out of my morning Holy Hour of contemplative prayer. Quite often, I am surprised at what I believe the Holy Spirit inspires during that quiet time of attentiveness to God’s word. And always, it is a delight to share that word with whatever audience is out there.
St Sharbel Makhluf
Today the church invites us to honor someone who truly devoted himself to the Word of God – St Sharbel Makhluf. Joseph Makhluf was born in the mountains of Lebanon in 1828. At the age of 20 he joined a monastery in the Maronite rite, where he took the name of a 2nd century martyr, Sharbel. He lived there as a monk but longed to live as a hermit in the desert. His superiors granted his wish in 1875 and he spent the next 23 years in a life of fasting, prayer and manual labor. He was famed for his holiness, wisdom and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. He died in 1898 and was canonized in 1977.
The Eucharist is certainly doing the will of God and obeying Jesus who asked us to “do this in memory of him.” We especially ponder God’s word during the Liturgy of the Word, and enjoy an intimate communion with Jesus by receiving his body and blood.
So, let us make reading, pondering and praying with the Word of God a central part of our lives that we may be good soil in which that Word can take root and bear the fruit of love.
