15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
10 July 2011
First reading Isaiah 55:10-11
Thus says the Lord: ‘As the rain and the snow come down from the heavens and do not return without watering the earth, making it yield and giving growth to provide seed for the sower and bread for the eating, so the word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do.’
Psalm: Psalm 64:10-14
Second reading Romans 8:18-23
I think that what we suffer in this life can never be compared to the glory, as yet unrevealed, which is waiting for us. The whole creation is eagerly waiting for God to reveal his sons. It was not for any fault on the part of creation that it was made unable to attain its purpose, it was made so by God; but creation still retains the hope of being freed, like us, from its slavery to decadence, to enjoy the same freedom and glory as the children of God. From the beginning till now the entire creation, as we know, has been groaning in one great act of giving birth; and not only creation, but all of us who possess the first-fruits of the Spirit, we too groan inwardly as we wait for our bodies to be set free.
Gospel Matthew 13:1-23
Jesus left the house and sat by the lakeside, but such large crowds gathered round him that he got into a boat and sat there. The people all stood on the beach, and he told them many things in parables.
He said, ‘Imagine a sower going out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on patches of rock where they found little soil and sprang up straight away, because there was no depth of earth; but as soon as the sun came up they were scorched and, not having any roots, they withered away. Others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Others fell on rich soil and produced their crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Listen, anyone who has ears!’
Then the disciples went up to him and asked, ‘Why do you talk to them in parables?’ ‘Because’ he replied, ‘the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed to you, but they are not revealed to them. For anyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. The reason I talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding. So in their case this prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled:
You will listen and listen again, but not understand,
see and see again, but not perceive.
For the heart of this nation has grown coarse,
their ears are dull of hearing, and they have shut their eyes,
for fear they should see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their heart,
and be converted
and be healed by me.
‘But happy are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear! I tell you solemnly, many prophets and holy men longed to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.
‘You, therefore, are to hear the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom without understanding, the evil one comes and carries off what was sown in his heart: this is the man who received the seed on the edge of the path. The one who received it on patches of rock is the man who hears the word and welcomes it at once with joy. But he has no root in him, he does not last; let some trial come, or some persecution on account of the word, and he falls away at once. The one who received the seed in thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this world and the lure of riches choke the word and so he produces nothing. And the one who received the seed in rich soil is the man who hears the word and understands it; he is the one who yields a harvest and produces now a hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty.’
Reflection
By Fely Santiago
But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Four years ago we attended “How to be Truly Rich” and “Truly Rich Financial Coaching” of Bro Bo Sanchez. We listened, applied what we learned and we’re like fertile soil that have produce fruits a hundred or sixty or thirty fold. And now we are on our way to financial freedom! The feeling is great! This is really what the Lord desires for each one of us.
Now we have become the “sower” as a calling from God. I can still remember in Sept of 2007 I was asking God, “Lord what is my purpose? What is it that you want me to do? Jesus You speak to me through the words of the Gospels. May I respond to Your call today. Teach me to recognize Your hand at work in my daily living."
And God revealed these words from Luke 4:18-20 --
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save His people.
Over the past several weeks, it has been the delight I've longed for - to show you how much I love you. How I have wanted you to know how much I have desired to free your heart. And now that you have asked me what you can do - what return you could make for such love - I feel eager to invite you to be with me. Please be with me in the mission I have from my Father. "Because God has chosen me to tell the good news to the poor, to announce freedom for prisoners, to give sight to the blind, to free everyone who suffers."
And I need you. I need your support and your free heart. It won't always be easy. But, we will be together, every time you are with me in loving. If you are with me in the struggle of love, we will grow together in love in ways I can only ask you to imagine. If you are with me in the dying to self-love that is our mission, then you will be with me in the fullness of life, forever. God's reign is at hand. Together we can bring it closer. Please be with me.
With this it was very really made clear what God wants me to do. I said YES to God. And I have confirmed this several times. Our mission is to spread financial literacy because in John 10:10 " I come that you may have life, and have it abundantly". God wants all of us to have an abundant life. But we have to be good stewards of the money God has entrusted to us. The biggest reason why people have money problems is because of MATERIALISM and FINANCIAL IGNORANCE. We should not be slaves to our DEBTS. Else we will continue to encounter financial struggles if we don’t follow the prosperity formula. Start by giving our tithes to God 10% no less. Give God the best fruits of our harvest. In Proverbs 5:9-10 "Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine." Then pay yourself first --save/invest 20% for your future. In Genesis 41:34 “…take 1/5 of the harvest during the 7 years of plenty. This will supply your needs during the 7 years of famine”. The financial crisis that is happening right now around the world is a famine. So what do we need to do? Educate yourself, raise your financial IQ. Study investing and learn how to diversify your investments then you secure your financial future and prepare yourself for “famine”. Lastly, live within your means. Spend only within the 70% of your income. Live simply. Don’t borrow money for emergencies or to buy consumables. Avoid impulse buying. By following this prosperity formula we can all be truly rich and be a blessing to others, producing fruits abundantly.
But just like the Gospel reading today, some seeds that we sow fell on the road, on rocky soil, among thorns and because they have no roots they withered. Sometimes we are also discouraged and frustrated, almost ready to give up when people don’t listen to us, reject us, don’t believe in us. But the mission continues because some seeds do fell on fertile soil bearing good fruits, making a difference to families - touching one person, one family at a time, coaching and mentoring them on the path to financial freedom!
How about you? Are you ready to receive God’s abundant blessings?
Lord, I believe this is the work of Your hands. Continue to use us to spread Your love and abundance. The mission is not always easy but full of rejections, setbacks, rough roads. But with You on our side we will endure, persevere, stay positive, knowing that one day, we shall have the abundant life You desire for each one of us. Amen.
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