In his parable of the Sower, the Lord explains how his disciples are called to hear the word of God with openness to its transformative power. Unlike the seed that is sown among thorns, where it is choked, or among rocky soil, where it fails to take root, we need allow the word of God to take root and grow and bear fruit in our lives.
Today’s Gospel immediately follows the Lord’s Parable of the Sower, and in this parable the Lord takes his teaching one step further.
Not only do we need to clear the debris, the thorns from our life, so that the word of God may grow, not only do we clear our souls of rockiness, that is hardness and resistance to his teaching, not only do we need to make sure that our hearing of the word of God is much more than surface level, in today’s Gospel, the Lord gives us this image of a lamp, a light. When we have properly heard the Word of God and taken it to heart, our lives begin to be filled with light. Where there was once darkness there is now light, like in the creation story, when God says, let there be light, when we’ve allowed the Lord’s teachings to be planted in us, new light is born.
The person when hearing God’s word, embraces and understands it, they are filled with a light that others can see. You can see the difference the Gospel makes in the lives of people who are living it. And you can see the lack of light when people are not.
“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand.” Those who have been filled with the light of the Gospel, need to make that light known.
Today we honor a saint who did just that. St. Andrew Kim, the first native-born Korean priest, risked his life smuggling missionaries into Korea, so that his native countrymen might have the Word of God preached to them. For this he was arrested, tortured and killed.
St. Andrew truly shared the light that he had received. In fact, he realized that this is the most important thing a Christian can do. It is worth risking your life for, it is worth dying for. Because the Gospel sets men free. It brings them to Christ the Savior. The preaching of the Gospel is a matter of eternal life and death. Souls are at stake.
St. Andrew believed this, he lived this.
This is why we continue to support the mission of the Church as best we can, and its why we continue to open our hearts to the transformative power of the Gospel, that we may shine with the light of Christ, and share that light with all, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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For all Christians facing persecution for the faith, that their sufferings may bring about the conversion of hardened souls to Christ.
For the good Korean Catholics of our diocese, that they may continue to be a blessing to our local Church.
For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.
For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests, deacons and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.
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