The Extravagant God (Parable of the Seeds and the Sower)
Homily of Fr. Eric Genilo, SJ @Cenacle Retreat House, Sept 22, 2018 In the parable of the sower in our gospel, we notice something curious. The sower seems to scatter seeds indiscriminately. Not only do some of the seeds fall on fertile soil, some fall also on rocky or thorny soil. Normally, a farmer who sows seeds would be careful where he scatters his seeds. Seeds are costly for an ordinary farmer and he would not want to waste his seeds on rocky or thorny soil where they have little chance of growing to maturity. He would choose to scatter his seeds only on fertile soil where the probability of a more bountiful harvest is higher. But in our parable, the sower is no ordinary farmer. The sower represents God and the seeds represent the word of God proclaimed to all who would hear and listen. The Indiscriminate way the sower in our parable scattered the seeds reflects the extravagance of God’s goodness and kindness. God does not just send his word to those who are already able and ready to respond with generosity. God also sends his word even to those who, because of their circumstances or their formation are unable to respond with their whole heart and whole strength. God’s word is not just for an elite group of perfect disciples. And we should never exclude some people from receiving God’s word simply because of their sinfulness and weakness. It precisely to the sinners and those rejected and marginalised by society that Jesus was sent to proclaim the good news of God. Let us not interpret our parable today as a justification to exclude and judge others as unworthy of receiving God’s word and God’s mercy because of their sinful situation. The extravagance of the sower in scattering the seeds on all kinds of soil reminds us that the word of God is meant for everybody and we should strive to overcome whatever obstacles or temptations that prevent others from receiving and living out the gift of God’s good news. God’s love and God’s grace are unlimited, and could never be exhausted. So we should not be troubled if some of our brothers and sisters are initially unresponsive to the invitation of God to them. Rather than consider God’s word as being wasted by on unresponsive persons, let us look at the bigger picture of God’s great plan of salvation. God’s spirit never ceases to speak in the hearts of every man and woman and through the mysterious ways of God’s grace each one eventually find their way back to God. We can help one another to find God and respond to his word. But ultimately it is God’s grace that will transform rocky and thorny soil to fertile and fruitful soil. Let us encourage and pray for one another as we strive to be more receptive to God’s word to us each day. May we support and encourage those who are weak among us and may we never forget the goodness and faithfulness of God for all his children.
Be on guard
Homily of Fr. Joel Liwanag, S.J. on August 30, 2018 at the Cenacle Retreat House: My dear brothers and sisters, the message of Jesus in today’s Gospel is loud and clear: Stay awake! Be on guard! Don’t fall into complacency because you do not know when the master is coming. The question, however, is: HOW? How do we stay awake? How do we avoid falling into a spiritual slumber? How do we make sure that when the master comes, we will be ready? To answer this question, I guess we need to go back to our experiences of staying awake. In our ordinary life, how do we stay awake? What is it that keeps us awake? This morning, allow me to call attention to three ways. First, we usually stay awake by taking in caffeine – by drinking coffee or soft drinks or some other energy drink. Those among you who’ve had to stay up late to finish something have probably tried this. If we apply this to our spiritual life, one way to stay awake is to find something that will perk up our faith. Some, for instance, would join charismatic prayer groups and participate in livelier forms of worship. Others would go on a silent retreat and spend days in quiet prayer. Some would try to incorporate music into their prayer routine. The point my dear friends is to find something that will awaken the spirit within us every now and then. I invite you now to ask yourself: how is my faith life, my spiritual life, my prayer life? If you find yourself in some sort of plateau, if you find your faith life lacking in dynamism, perhaps you can ask yourself: what can I do to perk up the spirit within? What can I do to keep the spirit alive? Aside from taking in caffeine, another way to stay awake is by surrounding ourselves with friends who can keep us company. Those among you who’ve experienced long distance driving know how helpful it is to have a companion who will engage you in a conversation throughout the journey. My dear friends, in our spiritual life, one way through which we can keep ourselves awake is by having friends who are willing to accompany us in our journey of faith. I guess this is really the value of community. If you are part of a community, someone will be there to remind you when you are going astray. Someone will be there to wake you up the moment you are starting to doze off. Ask yourself now: Do I have such friends? Do I have such companions who can help me stay awake? Finally, the third way through which we usually stay awake is by keeping ourselves busy. If we are occupied, if we are busy doing things, the lesser the chances for us to fall asleep. But if we are idle, if we are doing nothing, then the tendency to doze off is strong. In our spiritual life, we can say that it is similar. When our spiritual life is idle, then we fall into a spiritual slumber. As the saying goes, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” The key therefore is to find something worthwhile to do, something that can keep our faith alive. In the Letter of James, it is written: “Faith without good works is dead.” Thus, one way to keep our faith alive is to engage in good works, for instance, by doing corporal works of mercy – feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, comforting the sick. My dear friends, if we want to keep our faith truly alive, then we cannot but engage in good works. I invite you to ask yourself now: Is my faith kept alive by good works? What good works am I engaged in at the moment? If you find yourself lacking in this area, it’s not too late. Try to find something worthwhile make your faith come to life. And so, my dear friends, as our Lord Jesus invites us to stay awake, let us keep in mind these three ways through which we can do this: first, by finding something that will perk up our spiritual life. Second, by findinf friends who can accompany us in our faith journey. And third, by engaging in good works that will keep our faith alive. Let us pray that when the Master comes, we will all be awake, ready to meet Him and say: Lord, we have kept our faith alive. Amen.
The path of faithfulness
As we reflect on Mary’s Assumption, heaven as a promise of our eternal home, we remember how this all began with Mary’s Yes at the Annunciation. Mary’s destiny is also our destiny, we are called to say Yes and to follow the path of faithfulness that Mary took: Is this the way it was — The ageless salvation gift’s announcing Sculpted in a moment of time? Strangely different, touching, haunting, Earthily commonplace, sublimely graced. She stands — a humble toiler Strong, queenly, poised. Head turned, still with the surprise At the breath of angel voice. Eyes and mouth resolute Yet mellowed warm and with winsome tenderness. Budding breasts revealing her readiness for birth. Cloak and girdled-gown, their wind-brushed flowing Clasped in a hand that would let No hindrance to the message, Even here where she toils gathering wheat. Feet firmly resting on God’s good earth Yearning in wait for its savior. A total, human woman: “How can this be . . . ?” A total, open servant: “Be it done unto me . . . .” The wait is over And WORD becomes flesh. This Yahweh-woman Stands forever on wheat; Totally His, handmaid and mother, Yet, gift to His people, One of your own. – The Handmaid by Sr. Maria Corona Crumback, I.H.M. (June 11, 1915 – August 11, 2008)