We are in the 2nd Sunday before the first Sunday of Lent. This is the pre-Lent Sunday where we are going thru preparations to commence the season of Lent. Though our vestment is already violet color, we presume that we are starting to look into the process of arising from our sleep. Seek God to aid and deliver us. “Exsurge, Domine, adjuva nos et libera nos.” (Arise, O Lord, help us and deliver us.)
The epistle today, taken from St. Paul’s 2nd Letter to the Corinthians, expresses Paul’s happiness that his advice has been well received and listened to by the church of Corinth. He knew so well that he suffered due to criticisms about his personality and his legitimacy to preach the gospel. Instead of being discouraged, he pursued his dedication to share comforting words which Christians have quoted often to overcome their struggles. He never has given up to show much love and care for all believers and to remind them that the Church of Corinth will make good in their promise to do something to alleviate the sufferings of believers in Jerusalem. Though Paul suffered much for Christ, he never loses his direction to walk with Christ all the way of his life.
This is how we continue to survive our difficulties to succeed in our journey in this season of preparation. We have so many things that bother us, probably, our disbelief to make things right. What is important is our total surrender and abandonment of self to the Lord.
The gospel today takes us to a closer look about ourselves. How intense is our sensitivity to fully hear and understand God’s words? God is the “Sower.” The “Seeds” are His words. The “types of soil” are our attitudes to accept the seeds being sown into our hearts. Let us examine ourselves when hearing the words, “embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit.” There are four types of hearers of the word of God.
First, there are people who heard God’s word and yet are so closed-minded that they do not mind nor care of things about God.
Second, there are shallow hearers as well. These are people who lack spiritual depth. They initially respond with emotional enthusiasm and joy, but when it wears off, when difficulty arises, their mind wanders to something else.
Third, there are people who listen to and reflect on the word of God carefully but are too busy with other chores, like building their business empire, living lavishly in the materialistic world, then sure enough forgetting their commitments to love and serve God more.
Fourth, there are hearers who are ready to receive the word of God faithfully so it can take root and grow, and bear much fruit. These are people who are receptive to hear and act what God wants through His words, having fertile soil to produce the best harvest.
I exhort you, my dear brothers and sisters, to understand the spiritual truths behind this parable. God is expecting us to look into how much fruit we produce after hearing His spoken and written words.
Gaining God’s offering of salvation depends on how we become productive and “fruit-bearing, and not just remaining passive listeners or readers of God’s words. The devil takes away the word; so as not to be victimized, we must believe, act and be saved.
God bless you.
Fr. Arlon, osa
