Keeping the Soul Soil Rich

~~~ Jeremiah 1:1, 4-10 ~~~ Psalm 71 ~~~ Matthew 13:1-9 ~~~ 

Whoever has ears ought to hear...

Jesus often spoke in parables inspired by his surroundings.

These parables hold meanings for us today.

The parable of the sower and the seeds

 is the current reading.

We are familiar with the seeds 

falling on different types of soil.

The prophets moved about the peoples 

spreading the seeds of God.

They did indeed experience the 

different types of soil.

Some of their words fell on the path...

some fell on rocky ground...a few fell

 on rich fertile soil.

Jesus too had the same experience 

with not just his precious words.

but his actions too.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you...

We might ask ourselves if God 

has known us from our conception

then why do we struggle with Jesus?

God never just speaks to us 

in words and phrases we want to hear.

From our conception our soul was 

prepared to receive the goodness of the Lord.

We were born with rich soul soil...

It is up to us to keep that soil in pure condition.

It is up to us to remove the rocks and weeds.

We are responsible to hear the words of the parable;

as words meant for us in the present time.

Have no fear before them,

because I am with you to deliver you...

The Lord gives us his grace to know how

 to keep our soul in the listening mode.

To root up and to tear down,

to destroy and to demolish,

to build and to plant.

As we grow in holiness we learn to root up...to tear down...

all that spoils our rich soil.

We learn to destroy the weeds in our souls.

We develop the strength to demolish 

the rocks along our path.

Whoever has ears ought to hear...

Listen carefully to the words of Jesus.

They are words to build upon for our future challenges.

They are words to till the soil ready to receive

 the seeds of love, peace, and forgiveness.

Have no fear before them,

because I am with you to deliver you...

Maintaining the soil of our soul...

keeping it rich, requires a current relationship with Jesus.

Those who have ears must hear the 

words of everlasting life.

Jesus speaks them directly

 into your heart.

Blessed with rich soil.

Blessed to find the weeds.

Blessed to remove the rocks.

Blessed to believe that Jesus is speaking to me.

~~~Peace~~~

The Lullaby from God

~~~ Jeremiah 1:1, 4-10 ~~~ Psalm  71 ~~~ Matthew 13:1-9 ~~~ 

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated you...

As many times as I have read or heard this verse
 it is always mind boggling.
How is it possible to be known
 before your existence?

It is a beautiful thing to pray
 for those who will later come into your life.
For instance, I pray for the grandchildren
 I will some day be blessed to have.
But I cannot say that I know them as God claims here.

A friend prayed for God to send her the man he wanted her to marry.
Do you invite God to be a part of each of your relationships?

God has an intimate relationship with you and with me.

A relationship that transcends our understanding of time.
A relationship which is not bound by physical limitations.

 

How we humans often long to continue a relationship
 after a loved one has died.

Then we can say we knew this person.
We have had years of experiences together.

If God has known us before we were conceived then perhaps
 he too longs for us to return to him.

What if only after we die are we capable
of understanding this knowledge God has of us.

This love that is so great that it precedes us.
This is not a generic love, but an individual unique love.
A love that is just for you.

Why do we shove aside this God who has loved us for so long?
How is it possible to turn away from him in our selfishness?
How can we not love ourselves, as he loves us?

Imagine for a moment;
God singing a lullaby to your soul.
'To know, know, know you is to love, love, love you
and I do.'
You are Blessed with his love.
Believe it.
Never doubt it.
Always remember this special love
God has for you.
~~~Peace~~`

Comfort: Being Known Before Birth

~~~ Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

 

~~~Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19~~~Psalm 71~~~1 Corinthians 12:31—13:13 or 13:4-13~~~Luke 4:21-30~~~

 

 

'...The word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you...'

 

Not only did God know the prophet Jeremiah before his birth;

he also knows each of us.

This is both comforting, humbling, and frightening at the same time.

Why would God care that much for one of us, his creatures,

when there are so many of us?

But this is one of the wonders of God.

No matter how many of us are born he knows us intimately.

 

There is a certain amount of security in coming to someone you know and who knows you.

In times of joy and sorrow we tend to gravitate to those who know us well.

So it should be easy for us to come to God with all of our joys and cares.

When someone knows you they are more likely to listen

and be compassionate toward you.

All of this is realized through the love that Saint Paul

 is writing to the Corinthians about today.

 

 

'...If I give away everything I own...
 ...but do not have love, I gain nothing...'

No matter how many spiritual gifts you find yourself possessing

none can compare with love.

 

Love is the greatest of all. Love never fails.

Every year the church gives us this reading about love.

We need to be constantly reminded about God's

 direction to love above anything else.

 

It is not always easy to love, but we must constantly hold

God's love as a benchmark for how we are to love.

 

The increase of violent crimes in our country makes me doubt sometimes

 if this we are a Bible reading culture.

Because if we at least read this passage Paul wrote to the Corinthians

perhaps we would be acting differently.

 

Our challenge is to love when everything within our mind and body

is screaming something else...like revenge.

 

I invite you to pay attention to your feelings;

the next time you find loving another challenging try a little harder.

 

Live the true gospel message of love...

in all situations.