15th Sunday in Ordinary Time A.   July 3, 2011.   Our Lady of Grace 7:30, 9:30.   Isaiah 55:10-11.  Romans 8:18-23.  Matthew 13:1-23.

 

Have you ever looked at the fingers of a new born baby?  Have you ever touched the feet of a tiny child?   I have often asked mothers and fathers - “How did you do it?”  Of course, they know something of how the child happened - but the birth of a child is a miracle greater than anything any of us could ever design or create.  Every child is a miracle.  Every human being is a gift from God.  Our life and our birth is God’s first gift to us.  Nothing we can do will ever earn us the right to be alive.  Nothing we could do would ever earn the privilege of being parents and having children.

 

God is responsible for our existence and only God knows each of us totally and completely. God knows everything about us and still loves us unconditionally and always, when we are good and when we are evil. God’s relationship with us is overwhelming, awesome and powerful.

 

The 139th Psalm cries out:   

 

 “O LORD, You formed my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works! My very self you knew; My bones were not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, fashioned as in the depths of the earth. Your eyes foresaw my actions; in your book all are written down; my days were shaped, before one of them existed or came to be.”

 

A child begins as a tiny seed planted by two parents in the mother’s womb.  The reality of a full grown man or woman is already hidden in that tiny seed, just as a mighty oak tree is hidden in a tiny acorn seed.  From the first moment of conception an unborn child is already a human being beginning a long journey toward full maturity. If the child is planted in good ground the child will be nourished a protected until birth.  The first good soil in which the seed of our life was planted was the good soil of our mother’s womb.  We love and cherish our mothers because they were good soil open and ready for God to plant super tiny us next to our mother’s loving heart.  The earliest glory of womanhood is the good soil they can provide for the beginning of human life.   

 

Jesus said, “A sower went out to sow his seed. Some seed feel on the path and the birds came and ate it up.  Some seed feel on rocky ground where it had little soil.  Because the soil was not deep it was scorched by the sun.  Some of the seed fell among thorns and was chocked out.  But some seed feel on rich soil, and produced fruit a hundred, sixty and thirty times over. Whoever hears this must be careful to listen.”

 

We continued to grow if we born into a good and loving family.  The family is the good soil in which a child is planted.  The soil of a good family provides security, love and affirmation. It also provides guidance and discipline.  A family is the essential place where a child is nurtured in the ways of God and the habits of human goodness. A child is a miracle only God can create.  The family is the good soil in which a child grows.

 

The seed of our lives continues to grow in a creative and challenging school environment.   A good school educates the whole person, spirit, mind and body. Without a good educational environment we will never reach our full potential.  When I was in Ghana last year the tribal chiefs asked to talk with me.  The bishop wants a hospital for the community because there are many health problems.  The old chiefs told me that without a hospital the older folks would suffer, but they wanted a high school first.  They went on to remind me that when I was in Ghana the first time they made me and honorary tribal chief.  One old chief said to me, “you are one of us and we expect you to listen to us. We want a high school for our children and grandchildren.  Without more education things well not get better in Ghana. A high school will help us get out of poverty.”  A good school is good soil for the seed that God planted in our mother’s womb a long time ago. Education is a great gift.

 

The parish is the place were the seed of our lives is planted and continues to grow to maturity as we become holy children of God and spiritually mature people in a community where Jesus is Lord. Sunday Mass is a very special place where the seed of our lives is nourished and grows. The Body and Blood of Jesus is powerful food for our bodies and our souls.

 

Good friends are good soil for our lives.  If we are not growing in wisdom, goodness and holiness we may need to look at our friends.  Friendships can be good soil in which our lives grow in goodness or they can be the hard rock that hurt us and destroy us.

 

Good seed grows in good ground.  Jesus said, “The seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred, or sixty or thirtyfold.” The seed of God’s Word is planted in each of our hearts.  If our minds and hearts have been nourished in good soil we will be ready to open ourselves to the Word of God.  The seed of God’s Word planted in good and generous hearts will produce a rich harvest of integrity, love and justice.

 

Today Jesus reminds us that there is nothing wrong with the seed. The seed comes from God – both the seed of our lives and the seed of God’s Word. Where we plant ourselves or allow ourselves to be planted makes all the difference in the world.  For the wisdom to seek good soil in which to grow at every stage of our lives and for the courage to open our hearts to the powerful seed for God’s Word we give God thanks and praise.