“Making our lives to be a ‘museum, showcasing God’s Graces’ and thus always following the motto of: ‘Following Christ. Faithfulness to Christ. Fruitfulness in Christ!’”
(Based on Heb 10:11-18 and Mk 4:1-20 – Wednesday of the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)
In a Bible museum, there were various artefacts that were displayed…
… depicting various themes and incidents of the Bible.
In the tableau that displayed the Parable of the Sower, was written a caption, which read:
“The Parable of the Sower: Following Christ. Faithfulness to Christ. Fruitfulness in Christ
FOLLOW Christ fully
Be FAITHFUL to Christ
Be FRUITFUL by the Grace of Christ!”
This indeed gives a quick summary of the Parable of the Sower…
… expounded by Jesus in the Gospel of the Day
The Gospel begins with St Mark mentioning that “a very large crowd gathered around him…” (Mk 4:1)
The people were growing in excitement to know and experience the person of Jesus
… His miraculous works and welcoming attitude had generated much hope and expectation
The Lord however, doesn’t allow Himself to be captivated by mere peripheral knowledge and trifle expectations!
He sows the “seeds of truth” and invites them to purify their intentions in being His follower!
And so, with the crowds swelling around, He exhorts his “large followers” with a pertinent term: “LISTEN!” (Cf Mk 4:3)
LISTEN to the voice of the Lord and examine what type of a follower are you…
Are you someone who only casually listens to the Word – like the seed that fell on the path
… failing to give any space for the Lord to work in your life or allowing the birds of the evil one to devour the graces of the Lord?Are you someone who is only emotionally attracted to the Word – like the seed that fell on rocky ground…
… failing to allow the Word to take deeper roots in life or getting scorched when the sun of struggles and difficulties blaze brightly?Are you someone who fails to give priority to the Word – like the seed that fell among the thorns…
… failing to give the first place to the Kingdom of God and allowing the thorny desires and fleeting pleasures of the world to take control of life?
OR
Can we be the one who receives the Word with much devotion and preparation – like the seed that fell into good soil…
… and allowing His Word to take total possession of life and allowing His Word to bear much fruit?
Yes, each one of us needs to…
… FOLLOW Christ fully: Giving Him the highest and greatest priority in one’s life
… Be FAITHFUL to Christ: Holding on to the Lord, despite the various struggles that may come across
… Be FRUITFUL by the Grace of Christ! Bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit and being open to His Grace
May the Word of God always have a transformative effect in our lives…
… and may our lives truly be a “museum, showcasing God’s Graces” and thus always follow the motto of: Following Christ. Faithfulness to Christ. Fruitfulness in Christ!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
GOD’S COVENANT WITH NOAH
After the unity of the human race was shattered by sin, God at once sought to save humanity part by part.
The covenant with Noah after the flood gives expression to the principle of the divine economy toward the “nations”
This state of division into many nations is at once cosmic, social and religious. It is intended to limit the pride of fallen humanity, united only in its perverse ambition to forge its own unity as at Babel.
But, because of sin, both polytheism and the idolatry of the nation and of its rulers constantly threaten this provisional economy with the perversion of paganism.
The Bible venerates several great figures among the Gentiles: Abel the just, the king-priest Melchizedek – a figure of Christ – and the upright “Noah, Daniel, and Job”…
Reflection Capsules 