LISTENING TO THE WORD OF GOD

Wednesday 27th Jan 2021 – 3rd Week of Ordinary Time Opt. Memorial: St Angela Merci First Reading: Hebrew 10:11-18 Ps. 110:1.2.3.4 Gospel: Mk 4:1-20.

Dear Christians, we are still celebrating the Word of God in a special way throughout this week. Jesus who is the word itself is the high priest who offered Himself as the perfect and worthy sacrifice for our sins. Unlike the priests of the old, His sacrifice was not repeated. It is through his salvation, we are assured of eternal life. We ought to listen to Him in order to reach the goal of our salvation. We are not spectators in our journey of salvation for Christ did not substitute us but He represented us. We have to play the part with all the freedom bestowed on us by God. The Gospel gives us different ways we chose to listen to him. The choice we make will always have consequences and therefore we are responsible. We can reject the seeds he plants in us if we tend to be proud and stubborn. The different places that the seeds fell can be analogous to ourselves, depending on our attitude in response to His call and His truth.

Dear Christians some of us are either; the way, the rocky grounds, the thistles and fertile soil. Let us evaluate our attitude towards the word of God.

1. The way- this represent the prejudiced hearers. Their minds are shut and cannot listen at all. They cannot be taught. The devil is in control of them throughout.

2. The rocky grounds –they represents shallow hearers. They are superficial in their listening. They may be pretending to be attentive but they are only concerned about their presence. They have no right attitude towards welcoming the word uttered. They have superficial faith.

3. The thistles, bushes and brambles – these represents the selective hearers. They are such because they have many interests or cares, but lack the ability to hear or comprehend what is truly important. They may practice selective hearing, choosing only certain parts of the conversation that interest them. As such, they fail to grow in faith and God’s grace because they choose what pleases them. They are easily tempted.

4.The rich and fertile soil – represents those who are the open- minded hearers. They are, at all times, willing to listen and to learn. They are never too proud or too busy to learn. They embrace the Lord, his truth and love. They practice attentive listening, paying attention and focusing energy on the words that are being said thus, being committed to the lord. They are fit to share in the kingdom of God.

Consequently, we are all called to be rich and fertile soils, letting God to grow charitable roots in our lives. Soils that grow deeper roots of compassion, mercy, fidelity, loyalty, obedience, justice, that welcome and make Christ known to the world. Soils that bear much fruits by making the word of God known to all.