Whoever Has Ears Ought To Hear
Homily on “Whoever Has Ears Ought To Hear” based on Isaiah 55:10-11; Romans 8:18-23; Matthew 13:1-23
God wants us to be fruitful in our life of faith - in our love and service of the Lord and our neighbor. In our first reading, God is saying that his word like rain, it doesn't come back unless it has watered and made the earth fruitful. The word of God changes people. The word of God calls us to relationship with him. At the end of the Gospel: “Whoever has ears ought to hear.” In short, “Listen”. That is why at the end of each reading, the lector says, the Word of the Lord and we say Thanks be to God; and after the Gospel Reading, we say “The Gospel of the Lord” or “The Good News of the Lord” and we respond…. “Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.”
Let us start with the first reading: If you have ever felt like giving up, then today's first reading from Isaiah is meant for you. This passage was written towards the end of the Babylonian exile when the people of Israel were preparing to return home after many years of suffering and uncertainty. They wondered whether God's promises would really come true. The prophet Isaiah reminds them that God's word is always trustworthy and effective.
We live in a world that expects instant results or instant gratification. People are so impatient now. But God's timing is different from ours. Sometimes we pray without seeing an answer; we read scripture without feeling inspired, or work faithfully without immediate success.
Yet Isaiah assures us that God's word is always at work… transforming hearts and bringing about his plan in ways we may never fully understand. This reading invites us to trust God's promises even when life seems uncertain.
I remember that someone said: “An atheist is just someone who is impatient with God.”
In the second reading, St. Paul is writing to Christians who are experiencing suffering and hardship. He reminds them not to lose hope because the pain we experience now is temporary… that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.
While the joy and glory that God has prepared for us will last forever. Paul
is not saying that our suffering is small or unimportant. Instead, he's encouraging us to look beyond our present struggles and trust in God's promise of a better future. Paul then uses a beautiful image. He says that all of creation is waiting eagerly for the day when God will make everything new.
He compares creation to a woman in labor… Mothers can relate to this. Labor pains are difficult but they lead to the joy of new life… as in the Gospel of John 16:21 which states - a woman giving birth has pain. But she forgets the anguish when the baby is born. She forgets because with the baby she is so happy.
In the same way the suffering we see in the world today, war, sickness, natural disasters, injustice and death but death is not the end. God is preparing a new creation where there will be peace and fullness of life.
This reading reminds us that the Christian life is a journey of hope. Admittedly,
there will be moments when life feels difficult and we wonder why God seems silent - yet God never abandons us even for a moment. He is still working even when we cannot see it. Our present struggles are not the end of the story. If we remain faithful and keep trusting in God, God will one day wipe away every tear and make all things new. Until then, we are called to live with patience, hope, and confidence in God’s promises.
Hope is not just wishful thinking. Hope is joyful expectation of the glory to come.
Our Gospel reading for today is a very familiar story. We sometimes call it the parable of the sower or parable of the soils…. It is a story about how people react or respond to the Word of God, to the message of Christ, to the truth.
The sower is usually interpreted as representing God. God knowingly scatters the seed on all types of soil. The seed is the Gospel, the Good News or message of Christ, the Love of God - the Word of God – Jesus Himself, the truth; and the soil referring to the different intended hearers – which is us – you and me.
God offers the truth or the seed to every person - although not all will accept it and bring it to bear fruit, - but it is offered to all, anyway.
The story illustrates four kinds of soil – the soil - being you and me. I want to point out also that the four kinds of soil not only refers to four different kinds of people but also to four different ways each of us handle or respond to the truth of God in our own lives because none of us responds to the truth proclaimed to us in the same way all the time.
At various times in our lives, we can relate to each of the four soils. We are not bad soil all the time. We are not good soil all the time.
The first one – the path – the hard soil - packed and hard – where the seed could not even get in – Referring to people who are close-minded – which we all are at times - unteachable and blind or deaf to what we do not want to hear. At times our minds are made up to what we want to believe or not to believe.
One of the reasons why people refuse to listen to the truth or face the truth is because they know that if they listen to the truth, they will have to change, and people do not like change. Truth can be disturbing; so sometimes we just block it out and refuse to hear it… we are comfortable where we are, how we are, what we are.
Secondly, the shallow soil over a layer of rock - where the seed sprouts and grows quickly but cannot endure the heat of the sun. They refer to people who accept the truth at first, they say they want to follow Jesus - but then give up or compromise their belief when they find their belief or being a Christian or being faithful to the teachings of Christ to be unpopular… or inconvenient…. or uncomfortable. I think we can all relate to this.
It takes courage to stand up for an unpopular truth and at times we do not have the courage and so we are like the shallow soil – when we feel the heat, we give up; we compromise our Christian values.
The shallow ground also refers to those who fail to think things out or think them through; they lack depth. They may initially respond with an emotional reaction – probably because they are just following the crowd or just their emotions; but when emotions wear off – so also goes their conviction. Their faith or conviction is as fleeting as their feelings or emotions.
Then – there is the thorny ground – referring to people who have many worldly interests or cares… They are forever too busy – no time to pray – no time to meditate on God's word. … because of their “busy” - ness and anxiety about many things - they lack the ability to hear or comprehend the goodness of God, the Good News – no time to be still – no time to contemplate….and so they miss the point of what is truly important in life… what really matters in life. Their perspective is messed up.
Finally – the good soil – that produces a harvest – they are the ones whose minds are open and who take the truth to heart. They are those who at all times are willing to listen and to learn. They are never too proud or too busy to learn…
God gives grace to those who hunger for His truth that they may understand His will and have the strength to live according to it… therefore they bear much fruit.
My brothers and sisters, at this point in your life, which kind of soil are you?
At our Eucharistic celebration – for example, we hear the Word of God proclaimed and we see, touch, taste Jesus in the Eucharist – the true seed - and we profess it to be true… Jesus is present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharist. The question is: Is Jesus really alive in us – Is the Gospel rooted deeply enough in us to bear fruit wherever we go?
When we receive communion, do we really enter into communion with God – or is it because it is just a Catholic thing to do. Is God really in us and we in God – true Holy Communion – that we truly become the Body of Christ…. instruments – sacraments of God’s love, grace and mercy.
Are we indeed the rich soil that after our Mass – and having been sent – that we will proclaim the Gospel with our lives… and bear fruit?... that we will always listen for the voice of God and be always open to it and willing to surrender to His will - letting the Gospel rule our lives? At the end of the Mass: “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.”
At the conclusion of Jesus’ sermon on the mount – according to Matthew’s Gospel we heard a few Sundays ago, Jesus said: “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
On the other hand, everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.” Mt 7:21-27
My brothers and sisters in Christ, our Gospel reminds us again today: “Those who have ears, ought to hear”. In short: “Listen”.
God bless…
