Today we are celebrating Sexagesima Sunday, one of the Sundays as part of the pre-Lent program of the Extraordinary Form. This is important to warn us of the need to place ourselves well disposed to the time allotted for us by the Church as we prepare to enter the season of Lent.
From the epistle today taken from 2 Corinthians, St. Paul narrates to us an account of his labors and sufferings. This was not to boast about the struggles he had been through, but to give honor to God, who enabled him to endure for the cause of Christ. St. Paul’s account of his dangers and hardships, his endurance, perseverance, and diligence paid off compared to all the trials due to his faithfulness to the Lord. Here we learn from St. Paul that by our utmost diligence and devoted preparation during this pre-Lent observance, we strictly keep the truth of being disciplined and increased mortifications intended, not only for ourselves, but by our constant desire to glorify God who would bless us forevermore. In our journey, we succumb to temptations and perils of all kinds, weariness, hunger and thirst, in fasting and nakedness, but St. Paul was being told that anything he asked to be removed from his life won’t be removed for the strength God gives is sufficient and enough. We remember that His grace is always enough, and it’s the power which finds its expression through our weakness. When we are weak, we always sense more deeply the mighty power of God. Our resilience like St. Paul comes from our reliance and trust in God, in spite of the circumstances we are going through, that enable us to walk stronger in faith. It is because of God who holds us and keeps us from falling. In this you must greatly rejoice!
The gospel today taken from St. Luke 8: 4-15 is the parable of the Seed and the Sower. We are familiar from our own hearing about this parable, and sometimes, we always presume that the homily of the priest is just recycled ideas and teachings. I hope that this gospel will lead you to an inspiring message to intensify your spiritual life and love for the Word of God.
In this parable today, Jesus is the Sower, the Word of God is the seed, and the different types of soil are the dispositions of every human heart. We need to think about it more deeply.
Jesus told His disciples, “To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables; that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.” After these words, Jesus explains the parable. There is a hidden spiritual meaning and moral lessons embedded within His parable. Those who were not disciples of the Lord may look and see but not perceive, hear, and understand. They must be totally on board and on the same page as Jesus. Oftentimes, they were lost regarding the mysteries of Christ’s life. I believe this may also contribute to the understanding of Jesus depending on the level of faith.
Jesus today still challenges us to comprehend His Word within the context of our lives and our own human experiences. God continues to sow the Seed in our hearts so that it may grow. How do we prepare our hearts for God’s continuous action of sowing the seeds? What He wants is to sow the Seed on fertile soil in order to produce more good fruits. Jesus wants us to look beyond with more understanding and ability to relate and often depending on our faith in Him. Are we willing to apply the Word of God to our life?
I want to share the wonderful thought of Henri Nouwen, who was a Dutch Catholic priest who lived from 1932 to 1996. He was also a professor at Harvard, a writer, and a renowned theologian. Fr. Henri says that we need to create an atmosphere in which we can listen to God through His Word in the scriptures, and an atmosphere of silence and solitude that is conducive to deep thought without distractions. He further describes this in his book entitled, “The Way of the Heart,” saying, “not speaking, but listening to God and solitude as, not being alone, but being alone with God.” It is indeed true that we need to find the right time and place to contemplate His Word which is critical to cultivate it to grow in the fertile soil of our hearts.
St. Augustine wrote these words in his Confession, “With Your word You pierced my Heart, and I love you.” (10,vi.8) He was gratefully thankful to God for the opportunity with Him in that moment. Thus, we need to open our heart in prayer so that the Holy Spirit guides us through the grace of understanding His Word as we read and reflect upon it. Take a deeper chance to receive God’s unique revelation in order to grow in virtue and holiness and to become a better and faithful disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us condition our soil to make it more fertile. Jesus shows us the way!
God bless you.
Fr. Arlon, osa
