Homily Fifteenth Sunday Year A The Word of God
Homily: Fifteenth Sunday Year A
Reading 1: God spoke his word
through his revealed message, the Sacred Scriptures. Because it is God’ word it
will bear fruit. It is like the two edged sword, spoken of in the Letter to the
Hebrews. For those who receive his word and act on it, the word, which is
truth, will bring forth the life of God more abundantly. For those who do not
receive it and do not act on it will be like the man who built his house on
sand. When the rains fell and the floods came, the house was washed away.
Jesus said, “I will not
condemn you but my word will be your judge.” We hear the word of God every
Sunday. How attentive are we to God’s word? Do we allow the word of God to
guide us, to correct us, to encourage us, as Paul says? Or do our hardened
hearts make the word judge and condemn us?
Yes, the word of God will
bear fruit. Either it will bring us closer to God or be the reason why we separate
ourselves from God, because his word is too hard to accept and embrace.
Gospel: The Gospel is an
application of the first reading. We are familiar with this parable which
likens the seed to the word of God and to the various soils in which the seed
is sown. It reflects either the failure to bear fruit or the fruitfulness of
receiving the word.
How receptive have we been
and are to the word of God? The first response that Jesus identifies is to
quote from the prophet, Isaiah. Though the people heard the prophetic word,
they didn’t want to hear it. Their eyes and ears and heart were closed. Because,
if they had received and acted on it, they would have been converted and
healed.
The word Jesus is referring
to is the consistent call from God for the people to repent and turn back to
God. As he teaches, it is the decision to accept him as Lord and Savior or not.
What is that area of our
lives where our hearts are hardened to the word of God? How many times have we accepted the word of
God initially, but it wasn’t able to root fully itself for lack of response and
commit-ment? How often has the word of God had to vie, compete with everything else
in our lives. There were other things more important to us than a positive
response to God’s word.
Reading 2: The word of God
reminds us of the reality in which we find ourselves in because of sin. We are
in a time of suffering and purification, but there is a glory that has not yet
been revealed. It is a time of spiritual struggle and slavery to sin and a time
of longing to be set free, so as to share in our glorious inheritance as
children of God.
There is a yeaning within us,
either slight or intense, for this freedom. We have been set free through the
grace of salvation and justification won for us through the death and
resurrection of Jesus. We have been given the gifts of the Holy Spirit, who
dwells within us. We know in faith that we are the adopted sons and daughters
of God. One day we hope to be with God forever in glory and our bodies
resurrected and sharing in that glory. All this happens if we hear and act on
the word of God as he desires.
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