Clearing to be Fruitful

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

12 July 2026

 

First Reading: Isaiah 55:10-11

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14

Second Reading: Romans 8:18-23

Gospel: Matthew 13:1-23

 

Reflection

By: Pietro S. Albano

 

In the Second Reading, Saint Paul tells us that all creation awaits with eager expectation...(to) be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God (Rom 8:19-21). We are all part of that creation. In the past, we may have heard God's Word, but it did not grow in us due to our lack of understanding. Perhaps we may have initially received it ningas kugon, but trials overtook us. Or we may have been distracted by the cares of ambition, money, power, or pleasure that there is no room for the Word to thrive in us. Yet, there is hope that we would be fruitful as long as we keep on listening to the Lord.

When we moved to our current home 12 years ago, we planned to put some plants on the front and back gardens. Before we could do so, we cleared the space otherwise the seeds we sow or the plants we put won't grow. We kept ourselves vigilant too with those nasty weeds that keep on coming. This clearing holds true for God's Word too. If we want it to take root in our hearts, we must allow God to make our hearts fertile and fruitful (Is 55:10). We must also weed out any distractions such as sin, vice, idleness, gossip, etc. that would hinder us from bearing fruit and yielding a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold (cf. Mt 134:18).

Prayer

Loving Father, You generously sowed Your Word into our hearts but because of our failure to listen, this has not grown into fruition. Clear our hearts of any weeds that would prevent us from becoming fruitful. Help us to be vigilant to protect the holiness in us. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

The Good Soil

    

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

16 July 2023

 

 

First Reading:  Isaiah 55:10-11

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 64(65):10-14

Second Reading: Romans 8:18-23

Gospel: Matthew 13:1-23

Reflection

By: Theresa B. Manio

 

The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

The Gospel reading reminds us about the different ways people received the Word of God. Jesus compared them to soils where these seeds fall upon. Some people reject the word of God and His teachings to the point of tampering or making fun of it. Some are receptive and respond at first but because of shortcomings and temptations, they become hard and cause pain to others like the cliche’ that says "hurt people hurt people". However, there are still people who seek the truth, listen to it, and do something to be Jesus’ witnesses to people. What kind of soil are you then? Is it possible too that we become different soils in our lifetime?

Personally, I think the Gospel does not ask us to look at the people around us and label them as to the kind of soil they are based on from what we see in their words and actions. But rather, an invitation to personally look into ourselves and determine what kind of soil we are at the present moment. In this world, where clout chasing and cancel culture is popular, do we gather likes to the hurt that we are feeling? Is the invitation that we give out to the world are words of hate and dissatisfaction? Are we spreading hope so people can still change for the better?

We are called to practice humility.  In this world full of temptations, where we have lots of channels to focus on our feelings, let us be discerning. May we choose vulnerability over power, kindness over prestige, and meekness over strength. May our dependence on God and our faith make us more kind, more loving, and more understanding. Being the good soil is never easy, but we can keep on trying to be one. If we want spaces, we must be willing to make the effort to create safe spaces ourselves. May we inspire the next neighbor beside us to cultivate an environment where seeds can grow, where each person can thrive.  May the Lord be with us always, that through us, many more may come to be saved, and may we always thrive to be the good soil so we may continue to bear the fruits of our faith.

Prayer

Dear Lord, may we respond to the invitation of humility with renewed faith, that we thrive to maintain being a good soil so that we can share our real selves to others, to the Church, and to the community. May we be willing to accept Your call to collaborate in the vineyard. Amen.

Bask in God's Abundant Blessings!

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
10 July 2011


Come, let us rejoice in the Lord: let us acclaim God our salvation, alleluia.

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.