Friday of 16th Week, Year II: reflection (memorial of Sts. Joachim and Anne)
Theme: How to make God’s word bear fruits in us
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Reading: Mt 13:18-23
Dear friends in Christ, in the parable of the
Sower, Jesus taught us that every word of God has the capacity to bear fruits,
and it is our desire that God’s word we hear every day should bear abundant fruit
in our lives. But most of times, we don't know what to do or how to prepare
ourselves so that God's word might be fulfilled in us. Most times, we are
surprised to see God’s word bloom and bear fruit in others while our lives
remain dry.
Today, Jesus gives us four steps to follow if
we want God’s word that is sown in us to bear abundant fruit.
The first step is to make effort to understand the
word of God whenever we hear it. God's word is preached practically everywhere
in the world. While some individuals make an effort to grasp what it says and
what it expects of them, others listen to it as news and pay no attention to
its particular details. God’s word that is not understood is like a seed that
fell on the road, which will never bear fruit.
The second step is not to allow life’s
obstacles, hardships and afflictions to prevent us from obeying to the demands
of God’s word. If God’s word is to bear fruit in us, it must be the basis of
our faith, actions and reactions (our standard), especially in times of
difficulties. We should allow God’s word to illumine our paths in times of
crisis if we want it to bear fruits in us. Sometimes, some people jettison the
demands of the word of God when they are faced with trials, and instead follow
the negatives designs of their hearts. When we do this, we suffocate God’s
word.
The third step is never to allow our pursuit for
material goods and welfare to come between us and the demands of God’s word. Whenever
the path to material wealth runs contrary to the demands of God’s world, we
must choose obedience to God’s word. Obedience to God’s will must come first in
our pursuit of material goods. Any moment we place the pursuit of material
wealth and love of material goods above the demands of God’s word, we have
choked God’s word to death.
The fourth and last step entails applying the
prerequisites of the first three steps to our life. That is, we must listen to
God’s word and understand it, allow it to direct our paths at all times, and
give priority to it over materials things. When we do these, abundant fruit from
God’s word will be ours in thirties, sixties, hundreds, and more.
May God’s word yield abundant fruit in your
life today. Amen
Fr Isaac C. Chima
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