REPENTANCE IS CREATING AND NURTURING THE RIGHT SOIL. (Homily for January 27, 2016. Third Wednesday in Ordinary Time, Yr. C.)

Bible Study:  2 Samuel 7, 4 to 17. And Mark 4, 1 to 20.


When we look around our environment, we cannot but notice how the Bible seems to come alive, so much so that a little reflection on how plants grow immediately brings out certain deep truths about life. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus not only gives a parable about planting and growing seeds, he also explains the meaning of the parable.

Now, there is only one farmer and the seed sown is the same type of seed but there are different harvests. Why? The soils where these seeds were sown are different. These soils represent the nature of our hearts.

In his explanation, Jesus tells us that some people have rocky hearts, they are like rocky soils; they receive seed with joy but have no roots. These are people who are always excited in church, they dance like there is no tomorrow, they are the first to rush out for altar calls, they give testimonies at the slightest instances, they are so emotional but their faith evaporates as fast as their emotions change. They cannot withstand trial. For them, if God doesn’t answer today today, then he probably won’t answer tomorrow.

Some people have thorny hearts, they are like soils with thorns in them. They really love God and they want to serve God but it happens that they also want to be like everybody else. They want what people want, the delight of riches, fancy clothes, nice car, bumper bank account…, just name it; beautiful spouse, bouncing children, respect in the community, pleasure at every instance, the list is endless. They want too much of what the world has to offer so their love for the world chokes up their love for God. In fact, for these people, religion itself is reduced to a quest for these material things rather than a sincere quest to serve God. Unfortunately most Christians and even ministers today belong to this category. Religion has become a means to wealth, power and social status. As much as they attend church, they also swim every day in sin.

Then comes the category of people with a rich heart who are able to yield fruits with their life. These are people you come across with and you feel really inspired to serve God diligently. These are people who encourage you to step out of the crowd and grow in your spiritual life. These are people who talk the talk and walk the walk whose manner of life even in secret bears no contradiction with who they say they are. These are people who are truly repentant!

As we continue our reflections on repentance this week, today’s readings give us an added dimension of what repentance means. To repent is to change the type of soil you have. You may have a rocky soil, you repent today but tomorrow morning, you are back to sin again, the word of God dies too quickly in you. You may have a thorny heart, you really want to repent but you feel if you stop this particular sin or sins, you will just die, you want to repent but you cannot afford to lose your friends, you cannot stand being called a “spirikoko” or  “virgin-mary” and so on, you want to repent but your eyes are still on the money or pleasure you stand to get by disobeying God’s commandments.

Jesus is saying: “change the soil and you get the result.” True repentance is taking out the thorns and breaking away the rocks. Just in front of my parish house, our gardener planted some very beautiful sun flowers. I am always inspired looking at these flowers because I know quite well that just beneath the surface of these plants is a hard concrete floor. The original plan of the house did not make provision for plants in that spot but for so many months I noticed how the gardener worked night and day, he imported red sand and poured it on the concrete, then he applied manure on the sand and kept watering it every morning till he got results.

I believe this is what Christianity is about. It is consistently working on yourself, consistently rejecting sin, consistently bringing in the right soil, consistently applying God’s word as manure for your heart, consistently applying the water of devotion and prayer, till you become a saint.

David expressed his desire to build God a house and this pleased God so much that he showered him with so much blessings. David was not a perfect man but his heart represents the rich soil, he wanted permanence for God’s house.

Do you want permanence for your acts of virtue? What structures can you put in place in your life or what needs to change to sustain your repentance?

Let us Pray:
Lord Jesus, create in me a pure heart, a heart rich enough to keep me in your light as your beloved child. Amen.
Saint Angela Merici, Pray for us.


God bless you. Good morning. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you.

No comments:

Post a Comment