Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, July 16, 2023 (EPISODE: 429 )

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, July 16, 2023
(EPISODE: 429 )

Readings for Sunday, 16 July 2023
FIRST READING: Isa 55:10-11
Ps 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14. "The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest."
SECOND READING: Rom 8:18-23
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION ((no bibl. ref.)). Alleluia, alleluia! The seed is the Word of God, Christ is the sower. All who come to him will live forever.
GOSPEL: Matt 13:1-23 or 13:1-9

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: Stock Vector ID: 1734373853. Closeup view dry good cereal crop twig. White text space. Black hand-drawn Lord Jesus Christ new word sharp prickly stem anger icon border pattern picture design. Retro art cartoon line sketch style. Important information. Release information: Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc. Vector Contributor: ArtMari
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Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, July 16, 2023 by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-fifteenth-sunday-in-ordinary-time-episode-429-year-a-2023

(EPISODE: 429 )
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(Fr Paul): The wonderful image of the sower and the seed that falls on all sorts of different environments reminds us that just as a seed has within it everything needed to produce a viable plant, it will produce nothing unless it is properly watered and nourished and finds the right soil or medium to take hold.  It is similar to the idea of a delicious meal that contains all the nutrition needed to help a person stay healthy - But the meal is useless unless it is eaten. It is also like a light bulb that has the potential to light up a room but only if it is fitted into the socket and switched on.     How important is the environment in which the Word of God is received? We need to keeping constantly close to the water of Life… God's living word and sacraments.  

Our Lord tells us that the seed represents the WORD of GOD…  and we could also say that the seed also represents FAITH in Jesus (and faith in WHO he is, in what he teaches and (just as importantly) how he lived…..   AND……., faith in the gospel.

This "seed"  could also represent the many opportunities that we all have been given to help build up the Kingdom of God. 

We cannot underestimate how important is  1. the environment with which the Word of God is received and nurtured  and 2. Our response and our promoting of and living the values and God's word,    ……   These factors are essential in helping God's values to flourish everywhere. God wants and needs our cooperation and our working with him in helping God's Kingdom Come.

True, like the first reading, God is absolutely determined that the Word that comes from his mouth will NOT return empty and will achieve what God wants.  However, we humans can cooperate with what God is doing and (sadly) we are capable of resisting and even trying to block what God is doing.  God is determined to get around our resistance and to achieve his plans, but we should not take this lightly --   The non-cooperation of people, or the resistance of people could seriously slow down the progress of God's vision for the world. God may have to take alternate steps or 'go the long way around' in achieving God's goals, due to human resistance or lack of openness.  

Just as a seed needs good soil, water, shelter, nourishment and protection, so too our faith, our knowledge, our life needs to continue to be planted and lovingly nurtured in an environment that will foster continued growth and learning.

There are many challenges in life too, we must be careful that the precious seed of faith is planted; nurtured and attended-to daily, or else it will not grow. Other things, other priorities and values might "crowd-out" the growth of faith. Setbacks and hardships have the potential to stifle what we have. We need to actively protect, promote and encourage the good treasure we have received so that it will indeed bear much fruit.

We believe that the sacraments of the Church are concrete guarantees and tangible experiences of an inner reality. So, when a priest says the words of forgiveness in the sacrament of penance, (in the name of the church and in the name of Jesus), we believe that this effectively conveys the sacrament of God's forgiveness and healing. And when the church baptizes a person, we believe that the "God-given gift of FAITH is very much really and truly passed on in this action of pouring the water, professing Trinitarian faith and conducting the prayers. 
And if a person is baptized, faith is definitely given, (100% guaranteed)….but just like this gospel reminds us today.., if one has baptism and then hardly does anything to nurture, deepen or nourish that faith, then that real and effective "seed of faith" (which is surely there), would be rather like a seed in 'un-watered, un-tended and unplowed, hardened ground,' it can hardly be expected to bear much or any fruit.

Mind you, God can achieve amazing results of grace and love in what seems to be the most inhospitable situations, but we never take this for granted.. and strive to give God's word the most nurturing environment possible…  with prayer, reflection and good works. 

Have you ever seen a rather healthy looking plant springing up from a roof gutter of a house?  It shouldn't be there and how has it gotten what it needs to grow?  We don't quite know; however, life finds a way! But again, we do not underestimate the power of working in every way we can to give the seed of God's word the very best environment and every opportunity to produce the greatest harvest. 
 
Interestingly Jesus even realized that the results in his kingdom would be at times patchy, because notice he says that the good seed produces One-hundred, sixty, thirty. Notice, that is actually a declining sequence of numbers. So we have to be prepared for all sorts of results in the sowing of God's effective word. And, although God's word never returns without bearing fruit, it still remains very much our task to ensure that the word is given the nourishment and encouragement it needs to bear the most fruit.
 
So, in baptism, and the other sacraments. They are certainly effective, but they cannot be disconnected from the concepts of conversion of heart,// of the practice of the faith,// of personal engagement,// daily prayer, participation in the sacraments regularly, regular spiritual reading and faith-study and reflection, and of course practical, loving and compassionate  action in our daily lives and priorities. The forgiveness and healing given in the sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance) are quite real,  but the sacrament bears most fruit when watered by the moving tears of repentance and nourished by a change of heart, attitude and behaviour.    
  
Our Lord frequently begged his disciples…  pray and fast often ..  so that you will not come into the time of trial…   he appeared also to be saying..  pray and prepare so that God will give you strength during times of trial,   to avoid the cares of this world crowding in around us,…..

Our Lord teaches us that we not only ought to pray, reflect and prepare for the possibility of hard times, (and difficult environments), but we must expect them, and use every spiritual resource God gives us to nurture and strengthen the graces and gifts from God,  -   lest the wonderful seed of faith and the fruits of the Kingdom it produces might be very poor. …

God has sown the seed in the hearts of each of us, and now we must nurture and feed and water and nourish that seed of faith and love daily…/.   And even more so when we sometimes find the environment around us rocky, weedy, scorching or crowded…   then staying constantly connected to the water of life, will sustain us come what may.

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References:

Fr Paul W. Kelly. 

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: Stock Vector ID: 1734373853. Closeup view dry good cereal crop twig. White text space. Black hand-drawn Lord Jesus Christ new word sharp prickly stem anger icon border pattern picture design. Retro art cartoon line sketch style. Important information. Release information: Signed property release on file with Shutterstock, Inc. Vector Contributor: ArtMari

To listen to the Sunday Mass each week (including homily) from Surfers Paradise Catholic Parish, please visit this link: Liturgy for you at Home (by SPCP) -  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks  
 Also found at -   https://tinyurl.com/FHLpwk

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A  (Sunday, July 16, 2023)  (EPISODE: 429  )
The Lord be with you.
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{{Hi everyone}} welcome everyone, we gather -  Reflect upon the Holy Scriptures On this Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A

As we prepare to celebrate the great Sacramental feast of God's love, let us pause, recall our sins, and trust in God's infinite mercy.
I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault,* through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
1. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
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Ps 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14. "The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest."

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION ((no bibl. ref.)). Alleluia, alleluia! The seed is the Word of God, Christ is the sower. All who come to him will live forever.
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PREFACE: Sundays Ordinary V
Eucharistic Prayer III
Communion side.  pwk: 
(theme variation: 2 )

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{thanks everyone. And may God sustain you with his grace and love.}

Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.

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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:

"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993). (Sydney Australia).

"Quiet Time."  Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

Lenten Hymn: "Have Mercy"  Inspired by Psalm 50(51). Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2020.

Sound Engineering and editing -  P.W. Kelly.
Microphones: - Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser.

Editing equipment:    NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software

NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor

[ Production -  KER -  2023]

May God bless and keep you.
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