Homily for January 24, 2018.
“But those that were sown upon the good soil are the ones who hear the
word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
Mark 4:20
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.
Some people have rocky hearts; they receive seed with joy but have no
roots. They are always excited in church, they are the first to rush out for
altar calls, so emotional but their faith evaporates as fast as their emotions
change. They cannot withstand trial.
Some people have thorny hearts; 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; the list is endless. Their love for the world
chokes up their love for God.
Then comes the category of people with a rich heart who are able to yield
fruits with their life. These are people whose manner of life even in secret
bears no contradiction with who they say they are.
Dear friends, true repentance is taking out the thorns and breaking away
the rocks. 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?
Today we celebrate the memorial of St. Francis de Sales. He was born to a
noble family at Chateau de Sales in the Kingdom of Savoy near Geneva,
Switzerland on August 21, 1567. He was a Bishop and Doctor of the Church.
Francis was both intelligent and gentle. From a very early age, he desired to
serve God. In 1580, Francis attended the University of Paris, and at
24-years-old, he received his doctorate in law at the University of Padua.
In 1604, Francis took one of the most important steps in his life -- the
step toward extraordinary holiness and mystical union with God. He gave
spiritual direction to most people through letters. Francis gave spiritual
direction to lay people who were living real lives in the real world. He had
proven with his own life that people could grow in holiness while involved in a
very active occupation. He also recognized that Christian marriage and family
life is itself a call to holiness.
His most famous book, INTRODUCTION TO THE DEVOUT LIFE, was written for
ordinary lay people in 1608, not just the clergy and religious. In 1923, Pope
Pius XI named St. Francis de Sales the patron saint of Catholic writers and the
Catholic Press because of the tracts and books he wrote. He is also the patron
saint of the deaf, journalists, adult education, and the Sisters of St. Joseph.
His feast day is celebrated on January 24.
It there is one book that changed my life completely, it is Introduction
to Devout Life by St. Francis the Sales. Find it wherever good books are sold,
take one chapter each day and meditate as you read. Your life will never be the
same again, I bet you.
Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, create in me a pure heart; a rich soil that I may
bear fruits for your kingdom. Amen.
*Be Happy.
Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. (Wednesday of the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time. Bible
Study: 2nd Samuel 7:4-17 and Mark 4:1-20).
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