How powerful the word of God is

 

God’s word is a viable seed.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A, July 16th, 2023
Texts: Isaiah 55: 10-11; Ps 65:9-13; Romans 8:18-23; Matthew 13:1-23

Today’s message is about how powerful the word of God is and yet its fruitfulness depends on human heart. Prophet Isaiah speaks of God’s word as being imbued with the power to achieve what God sent it to do. Hence, the word of God is not just powerful but able to accomplish its goal. How can we justify this prophetic word of Isaiah where those who listen to God's word are corrupt? The word of God is to save, yet the hearers are slaves to corruption. The word of God gives life, yet the hearers are like dry bones. How, then, is God’s word powerful?

God’s word is a viable seed

The prophetic word of Isaiah gives the impression that the word of God works like magic. The word of God does not work like magic, it grows. The word of God is like a seed that a sower sowed. The prophetic word communicates the truth that God’s word is a viable seed. It is very sure that the word of God will not die in a fertile soil. In the words of Jesus: "As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

The fruitfulness of a viable seed does not depend on its viability alone but also the soil, sun and rain. We read in today's Psalm thus: "You visit the earth, give it water; You fill it with riches. God’s ever-flowing river brims over to prepare the grain." Farmers could bear witness to this. Those who are not farmers could try to plant viable seed on a barren soil. Just as the fruitfulness of a viable seed depends on different factors, so also the fruitfulness of God’s word. 

Factors that affect the fruitfulness of God’s word

Inattention is a factor that affects the fruitfulness of God’s word. It makes the heart irresponsive to God’s word. The heart is the field where God's word grows. Jesus speaks of inattentive heart thus: "When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart; this is what was sown along the path." A person with inattentive heart can hear the word of God but cannot understand it. This inattention could be caused by distraction. 

A fickle heart also affects the fruitfulness of God’s word. A fickle person bows to challenges that come because of the word. The word often comes with rejection, abandonment, insults, fear of loss of friends and money, attack and being tagged. A fickle heart gives up God’s word for such challenges. Jesus speaks of a fickle heart thus: "As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away."

The word of God grows under pain and assurance of salvation

The word of God grows under pain and assurance of salvation. In the words of apostle Paul: "We know that the whole creation has been groaning with labour pains together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."

Another factor that affects the fruitfulness of God’s word is worldly cares. Jesus speaks of those whose hearts are filled with worldly cares thus: "As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful." Worldly cares make the heart irresponsive to God’s word. Worldly cares take our time such that we have no time to nourish the God’s word in our hearts. They take the time for prayer, meditation and reflection on God’s word. 

God’s word has power to save and to give life

The message today is that the word of God has power to fulfil what God sent it to do. It has power to save and to give life. However, the power of God’s word manifests in a person with attentive and steadfast heart and spirit of detachment. Let us conclude with these words of apostle Paul: " It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labour in vain" (Phil. 2:16). 

Prayer 

O God, who show the light of your truth to those who go astray, so that they may return to the right path, give all who for the faith they profess are accounted Christians the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the name of Christ and to strive after all that does it honour. Amen

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke