Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church

But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.

We all want to be rich soil. However, as Jesus’ parable points out there are a lot of things which stand in the way of our fruitful reception of the Word of God. First we must survive the Devil and his temptations, which lead us into sin. Secondly, we have to face our fears of being persecuted for living out our faith in a meaningful way. Thirdly, we must conquer our worldly anxieties, desires, and cravings. These things are not from God and ultimately lead us away from Him. Yet, if we are faithful and live out our lives as a fulfillment of God’s Word, then we, like Christ, will bear abundant fruit.

What are the temptations in our lives and what can we do to overcome them? Are we willing to be persecuted by our families, friends, neighbors and co-workers in order to live a more perfect Christian life? What can we do to put heavenly things first in our lives and worldly things second?

O Lord, sow the seed of your Word within us so that we might bear good fruit.

Amen.