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FRIDAY, SIXTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Memorial of Saints Joachim & Anne
Jer 3:14-17 Jer 31:10-13 Mt 13:18-23/Mt 13:16-17
IS MY HEART A GOOD SOIL?
Though the parable is over two thousand years old, it still carries the reality of our lives based on faith and the important role of the Word of God. What do I carry in my heart today? Definitely my love for myself, my family, my close friends and also those who have created great and unforgettable memories, both pleasing and unpleasing.
We know how to sow the seeds in our gardens, yards or on any fertile land, and take care of it very carefully and we watch over it day and night. In the same way, when we have sown the seed, the Word of God, in our hearts, how are we taking care of it? Do we watch over the Word of God, day and night?
The seed that fell on fertile soil represents those who hear the word, accept it, cherish it and understand it, and they bear fruit. The perfect model of this good soil is the Virgin Mary. When the seed is sown, do I take it literally or do I sit and reflect (meditate) upon it? When the blessed Virgin Mary, received the word of God, she did not conclude anything with her intellectual capacity, but rather she pondered on the Word of God, Silently and her knowledge about God and His will, developed to that level, where she could accept the death of Her son on the Cross.
We have seen the reaction of the seed, without making a noise it grows, in the form of a plant. So also, we must grow in the knowledge of God, without making a noise but silently meditating on the Word of God. But primarily, the condition of our Heart must be like that of the good soil, to bear the fruit in a hundred folds. The Blessed Virgin Mary always allowed God and His will to dwell in her, so we too must be imitating Mary to reach the life of Holiness. The parents of the Virgin Mary, the grandparents of Jesus, Saints Joachim and Anne whose memorial we celebrate are also models of the good soil.
Response: The Lord will keep us, as a shepherd keeps his flock.
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