A Fertile Heart and the Potency of God's word.

Reflection on Today's Readings, 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 12th July, 2020
Texts: Is. 55:10-11; Ps. 65:9-13; Rom. 8:18-23; Matt. 13:1-23
Today's Readings remind us of the potency of God's word. The first reading uses the analogy of rain and snow to tell us the potency of God's word: God's word does not fail, it must come true. God's word is not an empty boast, it contains in it the power to accomplish its goal. The reading takes our minds to back to creation story, Genesis Chapter one, where things came into being by God's word; God said, "Let there be..." and things came into being. Jesus expresses the potency of God's word when he says, "Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away" (Mtt. 24:35; Luke 21:33).
Prophet Isaiah, in the first reading, calls us to put our faith in the word of God. If we believe in the potency of God's word, we will not entertain fear, for God has told us to fear not. If we believe in the potency of God's word, our hope in him will be firm, for it is by hope that we are certain of God's promise and wait against all odds for its fulfilment. If we trust in the potency of God's word, we will trust in the power of prayer, for Jesus assures us that whatever we ask in his name we shall receive (John 14:13-14). If we believe in the potency of God's word, we will live good life, for God has told us that wickedness leads to destruction and righteousness to eternal life. The list can be endless.
Our life needs the word of God to soften it and make it fruitful as rain does to the earth. In this world, we are passing through difficult time and so we need the word of God to give us hope and encouragement. The word of God continues to remind us that the suffering we are passing through is short lived and not worth comparing with the glory that is awaiting us.
The gospel reminds us that the word of God is only fruitful in a heart that hears the word and understand it. From the explanation of the four types of soil, we can say that a fertile hear is a heart that is attentive, courageous and detached or free of worldly cares The four types of soil mentioned in the gospel represent four different hearts that take in the word of God. The good soil represents a heart that hears and understand the word of God.  From other types of soil we come to realize what can prevent us from hearing and understanding the word of God: inattentiveness, fickleness and worldly cares.
The path represents inattentive heart. The word of God in such heart is like pouring water on rock or using basket to fetch water; the word of God does not stay in such heart. The heart is inattentive because it is occupied with other thoughts and, so it is often distracted.
A rocky soil represents a fickle heart; it is a kind of heart that seeks to avoid persecution. A fickle heart has not been given up to the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of power, love and self-control (2Tim. 1:7).
Thorny soil represents worldly heart; it is a heart that is concerned with the cares of the world. Such heart often betrays the word in its attempt to gather wealth, win fame and honour. Worldly heart welcomes corruption, bribery, cheating, lying if they will make him rich, famous and influential in the society. Such vices choke up the word.

Lord our God, make our hearts courageous, free from worldly cares and be attentive to your word. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke