Wednesday 28^th January – Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest & Doctor

Reflection: Mark 4: 1-20

WHERE IS YOUR SEED?

When we hear the parable of the sower, we often think of ourselves as the good soil – the soil that yields a bountiful harvest. I would have loved to say that this is always true for me, but I cannot. The truth is that sometimes, I am able to listen to God’s word, take it to heart and bear fruits. But more often than not, I find myself being the three other soils…the path, the thorns, the rocky areas.

So often, my mind wanders during a homily or Bible study; I am distracted and fail to hear what is being said at that point in time. Other times, I am excited and challenged by the word of God, convicted of certain sinful patterns in my life and encouraged to pursue a life of love and holiness. Yet, as soon as I step out someone gets me irritated and I forget all about my resolve and blurt out some unloving or unkind statement in annoyance. Other times, the fear of being labelled “old fashioned” or the fear of tomorrow keeps me from obeying God. Each time I reflect on today’s gospel reading, all these circumstances which I experience so frequently come to my mind and I simply ask God for His mercy and grace to truly experience the transforming power of His word EVERY TIME I have the privilege to hear Him.

Beloved, do you find yourself in similar situations? Even right now as you read this reflection, one of these scenes may well be playing out. Christ makes it clear to us that it is only when we listen to God’s word attentively, accept it and persevere in living it out that it can bear fruits in us. Today, examine yourself. Identify the various ways through which the seed of God’s word is lost each time it is sown in your heart and ask God for the grace to be more vigilant in holding on to His words.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for the privilege to hear your word often. Please help me to guard jealously the seed of your word sown in my heart so that it may bear fruits in plenty. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: CCC 2705 – To meditate on what we read helps us to make it our own by confronting it with ourselves. Here another book is opened: the book of life. We pass from thoughts to reality. To the extent that we are humble and faithful, we discover in meditation the movements that stir the heart and we are able to discern them. it is a question of acting truthfully in order to come into the light: “Lord, what do you want me to do?”

HIDE A TREASURE: “But He who fixes his gaze on the perfect law of freedom and holds on to it, not forgetting what he has heard, but acting on it, will be blessed in what he does.” James 1: 25 CCB

Readings for Today: Hebrews 10: 11-18; Psalm 109: 1-4; Mark 4: 1-20