Podcasts about sower

Read OnlineReceptive to the GospelJesus said to his disciples: “Hear the parable of the sower. The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the Kingdom without understanding it, and the Evil One comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. The seed sown on rocky ground…” Matthew 13:18–20After preaching the Parable of the Sower to the crowds and then explaining to His close disciples (likely the Twelve) the purpose of parables, Jesus, in today's Gospel, offers them an interpretation of the parable. He speaks clearly and personally to them because they are open—their hearts are properly disposed to receive the truth.The parable reveals four kinds of hearts: hardened, shallow, distracted, and receptive. By presenting these four interior dispositions, with only one being ideal, Jesus shows that becoming receptive to the Word of God takes effort, humility, and grace. The first three types reflect a progression of deepening receptivity, but each falls short. The final type, the good soil, represents the goal to which all hearts are called.The first—represented by seed sown on the path—refers to those whose hearts are so hardened that God's Word cannot enter. Their ears hear the Word of God—as symbolized by the sower sowing seed on the path—but the soil of their hearts has been trampled by many sins and self-centered habits, so the seed cannot penetrate. As a result, they do not understand the Gospel, nor do they seek to understand. This might even refer to some who attend church, hearing the readings and the homily, yet remain unmoved by the Gospel.The second—represented by seed sown on rocky ground—refers to those whose hearts are shallow. They receive the Word of God with initial joy and enthusiasm, perhaps even with emotion and spiritual fervor. But that joy is not rooted in deep conviction or sustained by persevering faith. When trials come—when faith demands sacrifice, endurance, or courage—they quickly fall away, disillusioned. The root of divine truth never penetrates the deeper layers of the soul. These are those who like the idea of the Gospel but not the cost that comes with living it fully.The third—represented by seed sown among thorns—refers to those whose hearts are distracted. They welcome the Word of God and allow it to take root, but they simultaneously cling to worldly anxieties, attachments, and desires. The thorns—symbolizing wealth, comfort, ambition, and the cares of daily life—choke the Word so that it becomes fruitless. These are the souls who try to live both for God and for the world. They desire Heaven, but they also crave control, pleasure, or security on their own terms. In such soil, the Word struggles to grow and cannot bear lasting fruit.The final—represented by seed sown on rich soil—refers to those whose hearts are truly receptive. They not only hear the Word of God but understand it, welcome it, meditate on it, and allow it to transform their lives. This heart is open, humble, prayerful, and detached from worldly distractions. The Word penetrates deeply and becomes a source of abundant spiritual fruit—thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold. These are the saints-in-the-making: souls who, though not perfect, cooperate with grace and allow God's truth to sanctify them day by day.Reflect today on the progression revealed in this parable. How open is your heart to the Word of God? As a spiritual seed, God's Word is powerful. When received into a mind filled with faith, and a heart filled with hope and charity, the seed is nurtured and grows. As it grows, authentic transformation takes place. Good fruit becomes evident, and God does great things in and through this holy soul. See yourself on this journey, till the soil, and await God's Word as it is sown. Receive it with joy, and resolve to nourish that seed so that an abundance of good fruit may be borne from your life—thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold.My Divine Sower, You sow the seed of Truth generously and abundantly. You are always speaking to me, revealing Your Love and Your perfect Will, yet I am often hardhearted, shallow, or distracted. Please till the soil of my heart and make me receptive to all You reveal, so that my life may bear an abundance of good fruit for Your Kingdom. Jesus, I trust in You.Image:  The Sower, by James Tissot Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Read OnlineLifting the Sacred VeilThe disciples approached Jesus and said, “Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?” He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.” Matthew 13:10–13Have you ever looked but failed to truly see? Or heard something without really listening or understanding? Jesus' words teach us that seeing is more than the use of our eyes, and listening is more than the mere act of hearing. The mysteries of the Kingdom are not grasped through sensory perception; they require a deeper interior awareness. Seeing, listening, and understanding demand a receptive heart—a heart attuned to grace.When the heart is attuned to grace, the mind becomes capable of perceiving life from God's perspective. This is the gift of Wisdom. Wisdom is the pinnacle of the intellectual gifts, perfecting knowledge, understanding, and counsel by ordering them toward divine truth. Thus, a person who truly sees and listens perceives, not just information, but God's Eternal Truth. The veil is lifted, and the mysteries of faith come into focus. This interior illumination produces peace, amazement, and a profound sense of gratitude.Parables are like sacred veils, at once concealing and revealing divine mysteries. For those who are humble, docile to the Holy Spirit, and eager for truth, parables become radiant windows into the heart of God. They are like floodgates, pouring divine light into the soul and drawing it to the very threshold of eternal mysteries. Does the floodgate of divine light pour truth into your mind and grace into your will?For the proud or indifferent, however, the veil remains drawn—but not without purpose. Jesus does not arbitrarily withhold the divine mysteries from those whose hearts are hardened. Rather, the parable, in veiling the truth, invites the soul to seek more deeply. It stirs a holy curiosity and awakens spiritual desire. It is as if Jesus presents a sacred gift, wrapped in a beautiful veil. He sets it down, says, “This is for you, but don't peek,” and then smiles and walks away. The hiddenness of the truth is not a rejection; it is an invitation.Even before this moment, Jesus had already begun to lift the veil. In the Parable of the Sower, just preceding today's Gospel, He cast seed upon the hearts of His listeners. Some received it attentively, understood it, and were filled with interior consolation as divine light shone within them. Others might have enjoyed the story and found it interesting, but failed to grasp its deeper meaning. Of these, Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah, saying, in part: “Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes…” (Matthew 13:15).“Gross is the heart of this people…”—what a powerful statement. The Greek word translated here as “gross” is not condescending but descriptive. More literally, it means that the heart of the people “has become dull,” “has thickened,” or “has grown insensitive.” Jesus is not condemning; He is lamenting. And even in His lament, He does not give up hope. He continues to teach. He offers the Parable of the Sower, and then, after today's Gospel, teaches several more parables. Why? Because He is determined to sow the seed of His Word into every heart—no matter how hard the soil may be.Reflect today on the disposition of your own heart. Are you truly open to the deeper truths of God? Do you seek to understand, or are you content merely to hear? Ask the Lord to lift the sacred veil from your eyes and ears so that you may behold the mysteries of His Kingdom with clarity and awe. Let His Word penetrate your soul like seed falling on rich soil. And if you discover areas of dullness or resistance within, do not be discouraged. Christ continues to sow generously. All He asks is that you receive His Word with humility and allow it to take root.Lord of Eternal Truth, You desire to lift the veil and reveal to me the profound and glorious Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. Please give me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart open to understanding. Flood me with the light of Your Truth and strengthen me to respond to that Truth with all my being. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image via Adobe StockSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Why didn't Jesus establish the Messianic Kingdom during His first coming? Why did He suddenly begin teaching in parables? And what do the four soils reveal about the condition of our hearts, spiritual maturity, rewards, and the Church Age? In this in-depth study of Matthew 13:1–23, Pastor Brandon Holthaus explains why Israel's rejection of the Messiah marked a major turning point in God's Kingdom Program. Discover how the Mystery Kingdom unfolds between Christ's first and second comings and why the Parable of the Sower is the foundational key to understanding all of Jesus' Kingdom parables. In this message you'll learn: • Why Jesus changed His teaching from plain speech to parables • The four different heart conditions represented by the soils • Why the first soil never germinates while the other three do • The difference between shallow, worldly, and fruitful believers • How Satan attempts to snatch away God's Word • The role of persecution, worldliness, and spiritual maturity • Why receptivity—not intelligence—is the issue • What Jesus meant by "understanding" • The significance of the 30-, 60-, and 100-fold harvest • How the Mystery Kingdom relates to the Seven Churches of Revelation • Why life often doesn't go according to our plans—and how God is still accomplishing His Kingdom purposes The Parable of the Sower reminds us that the power of God's Word never fails. The determining factor is not the quality of the seed, but the condition of the soil. If this message encouraged you, please Like, Subscribe, and Share it with others. #Matthew13 #ParableOfTheSower #MysteryKingdom #KingdomParables

What happens when we stop trying to prove that we are good enough? Pastor Nate talks with the Rev. Alex LaChappelle about law and gospel, the pressure to fix ourselves, and the freedom of trusting that God's love is already present.Together, they explore why the church is bigger than any building, how grace changes the way we see ourselves and our neighbors, and why God continues to see possibility in us, even when we only see our mistakes.What You'll LearnUnderstand law and gospel in everyday languageRecognize when faith becomes another form of pressureSee sin as separation from God, ourselves, and one anotherPractice viewing yourself and others through graceTrust that God meets us in difficult and imperfect placesChapters00:00 Introducing the Rev. Alex LaChappelle00:55 Friendship, theology, and the Crossings Conference04:45 Is the church a building or the body of Christ?07:20 Why church survival cannot be the main goal11:05 What do law and gospel mean?12:15 When the gospel becomes another set of rules13:35 Jesus' life, death, and resurrection18:55 Why self-improvement advice often leaves us discouraged20:40 Understanding sin as separation24:20 Loving your neighbor also means loving yourself27:15 A World Cup example of grace33:10 The Parable of the Sower and God's generosity35:40 Seeing good soil in one another38:10 God sees possibility when we see failure43:10 Why acceptance can lead to transformation45:25 Your struggle is not your identity48:15 What should people hear when they leave church?50:25 God meets us in the rocky soilLike this episode, subscribe to the channel, and share it with someone who needs a reminder that they do not have to hold everything together alone.Connect with Bethany:

Here in the middle of summer (and, perhaps, one of our sparser crowds of the season) we have a very busy parable section in Matthew 13: five short parables packed into a dozen verses. That's a lot of focus to to try to hold in one sermon — so we likely have some choices to make heading into sermon prep this week.This is the third Sunday inside Matthew's parables chapter, and it is the busiest of them. The Gospel gives us five short parables — mustard seed, yeast, hidden treasure, pearl, and net — each doing its own quick work. A single sermon can barely do justice to one of them. The preacher's honest choice this week is whether to preach one image well or gesture at all five superficially (and, most likely, ineffectively). This guide covers each parable but assumes the preacher will pick.The Old Testament tracks head in very different directions. * Track One continues with Jacob — now at his uncle Laban's house, working seven years for Rachel and being deceived at the wedding. It is a painful text, and its painfulness is part of what it has to say. * Track Two brings us to Solomon at Gibeon, offered anything in a dream and asking for wisdom to lead God's people well. * The Epistle continues in Romans 8 and gives us some of the most beloved verses Paul ever wrote — the Spirit interceding with sighs too deep for words, all things working together for good, nothing able to separate us from the love of God in Christ.For preachers continuing the series: this is week three of the parables arc. The Sower (Proper 10) named God's lavish scattering. The Wheat and the Weeds (Proper 11) named God's patient sorting. This week the parables come in a burst, each offering a different angle on what the kingdom of heaven is actually like.The ReadingsGenesis 29:15–28First Reading (Track One) — Jacob, Leah, and RachelSummaryJacob has fled his own family and arrived at his uncle Laban's household. He falls in love with his younger cousin Rachel and agrees to work seven years for her. Seven years pass; the wedding feast is held; and Jacob wakes in the morning to discover he has been given Leah, the older sister, instead. He confronts Laban. Laban answers, without apology, that the younger cannot be given before the elder in that country. Jacob agrees to serve another seven years for Rachel. The deceiver from earlier chapters has been deceived himself, and the family that will grow out of these two marriages will carry the weight of the wedding-night trick for generations.Key Ideas for Preaching* This is Jacob's first taste of being on the receiving end of the kind of scheming he has been practicing. In earlier chapters, he tricked his brother and his father; now his uncle tricks him. The narrator does not moralize — the pattern is simply allowed to sit there. What does it look like for your congregation to notice the patterns they have set in motion, without either shame or excuse?* Laban's “the younger cannot be given before the elder” is a pointed line. Jacob, the younger, took what belonged to Esau, the elder. Now he is told he cannot take the younger before the elder. The text is doing quiet, painful work. Where in your congregation might God be doing similarly quiet work — through consequences, not lectures?* The story does not pretend Leah is loved. It does not pretend Rachel is safe from her sister's grief. It refuses to give us the reassuring resolution we might want. What does it look like to preach honestly on a text that leaves this much untidy?Significant Cautions* Do not romanticize the line about seven years feeling like a few days. Read in context, it opens a story that will produce enormous grief for at least three of the four people involved.* The women in this story — Leah and Rachel — pay the highest price for the men's schemes. Be honest about that, without turning them into abstractions or setting one against the other.* Do not use this text to comment on modern marriage practices in ways it cannot bear. It is a story about deception and consequences, not a template for how marriages should work.Psalm 105:1–11, 45bThe Psalm (Track One, primary option) — Remember the CovenantSummaryA hymn of thanksgiving for God's faithfulness across the long history of Israel. The opening verses call the people to praise and to remember. The middle rehearses the covenant with Abraham — the promise of the land, the seed, the everlasting covenant — which the lectionary selects to keep the focus tight. The closing line is a single word of praise.Key Ideas for Preaching* The psalm is essentially a call to remember. What God did for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is not distant history but the reason today's community has cause to sing. What does it mean for your people to keep the long memory of what God has done, in a culture that keeps them focused on the immediate?* Read alongside today's Genesis reading, the psalm's serene retelling sits in some tension with the messy reality Jacob is living through in Genesis 29. The psalm knows the story ends well; Jacob does not. Where in your people's lives is God's long faithfulness working through a story that does not yet feel serene?Significant Cautions* The “land I have promised” language has a long and painful history when misused to justify the taking of land from other people. Handle it with care.* The psalm's cheerfulness can mask real complexity in the underlying history. Do not erase Leah's grief with a hymn about Jacob's story.Psalm 128The Psalm (Track One, alternative option) — Blessed Is EveryoneSummaryA short psalm of blessing for the person who fears the Lord. Their labor is fruitful; their household flourishes; they live to see their children's children. The psalm assumes a stable, agricultural, patriarchal household and pronounces blessing over it.Key Ideas for Preaching* The psalm's picture of blessing is domestic, ordinary, and generational — not heroic, not dramatic. Just a table set, a family gathered, a life lived faithfully across time. Where in your congregation has the ordinary been undervalued, and how might this psalm give it its due?* Paired with the Genesis reading, this psalm offers a striking contrast — Jacob's marriage is not the picture of blessing this psalm describes. What might it look like to preach both — the ideal the psalm names and the reality the Jacob story exposes — without pretending they can be neatly resolved?Significant Cautions* The psalm's vision of a blessed household is culturally specific. Do not preach it in a way that suggests those without spouses or children are outside God's blessing.1 Kings 3:5–12First Reading (Track Two) — Solomon Asks for WisdomSummaryEarly in his reign, Solomon has a dream at Gibeon. God appears and asks him what he wants. Solomon does not ask for wealth, or long life, or victory over his enemies. He asks for an understanding heart — the wisdom to lead God's people well. He is a young king, he says, and does not know how to govern. God is pleased and gives him what he asked for, along with the things he did not ask for.Key Ideas for Preaching* Solomon's request is startling for its self-awareness. He knows he does not know. Where in your congregation has the honest admission of what we do not know been avoided in favor of confident-sounding leadership, and what might this text invite instead?* The wisdom Solomon asks for is specifically for the sake of others — to govern God's people well. This is not personal enlightenment; it is a request for the equipment to serve. How might your people hear this as a model for the kind of wisdom their vocations actually need?Significant Cautions* The wider story of Solomon complicates this scene. He will not, over the long run, live up to the wisdom he receives here. Do not preach the dream as if it were the whole of Solomon's reign.* “Ask for whatever you want” language can be misused. God is not a wish-granter; the text is showing us what a rightly ordered heart asks for, not licensing bargain-hunting prayer.Psalm 119:129–136The Psalm (Track Two) — The Unfolding of Your WordsSummaryAnother short section of the great acrostic psalm on God's word and law. The chosen verses celebrate God's decrees as wonderful, ask for God's face to shine on the psalmist, and end with a line of surprising grief: “my eyes shed streams of tears, because your law is not kept.”Key Ideas for Preaching* The psalmist's tears are the grief of someone who loves what God intended and sees the world falling short of it. What in your congregation's life would break their hearts if they let it — and what does the psalm suggest we do with that grief?* “The unfolding of your words gives light.” The word does not give light all at once; it unfolds. How might your sermon honor the slow way God's word actually opens itself to us?Significant Cautions* The psalmist's love for God's law can be misread as legalism. It is not. It is a love for what God has revealed as good.Romans 8:26–39The Epistle — Nothing Can Separate UsSummaryThe climax of Romans 8, and some of the most beloved verses Paul ever wrote. The Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. All things work together for good for those who love God. And then the closing crescendo, one of the great passages of the New Testament: nothing — not hardship, persecution, famine, sword, powers, principalities, or anything else in all creation — can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.Key Ideas for Preaching* The Spirit intercedes for us when we do not know how to pray. That is one of the most comforting sentences in the New Testament for people in seasons when prayer has stopped working. Where in your congregation are people quietly convinced they are failing at prayer, and how might Paul steady them?* “All things work together for good” has become a widely repeated line and is often misused. Paul is not saying every bad thing that happens is secretly good, or that suffering will always be visibly redeemed. He is naming something more specific — that God is at work within all things toward good. How might your sermon preserve the comfort of the verse while defending it from its worst uses?* The closing crescendo names actual sufferings by name — hardship, persecution, famine, sword. Paul is not offering an abstract promise. He is naming the very things his readers were facing and insisting that none of them can separate them from the love of God. Where in your congregation are people quietly assuming they might have been separated already, and what would it mean for them to hear this list read aloud with their own name in it?Significant Cautions* “All things work together for good” is one of the most misused verses in the Bible — especially at funerals and in hospital rooms, where it has been used to justify or minimize real suffering. Preach against that misuse plainly.* “Those God foreknew he also predestined” opens onto centuries of debate. Faithful readers come down differently. Do not preach as if the question has been settled.* The comfort of the closing verses is only meaningful when the sufferings named are taken seriously. Do not skip lightly over famine and sword; they are what Paul's hearers were living, and they are what many of ours are living too.Matthew 13:31–33, 44–52The Gospel — Five Parables of the KingdomSummaryFive short parables in quick succession. The kingdom is like a mustard seed — tiny at first but growing into something birds nest in. Like yeast a woman works into flour until the whole batch is leavened. Like treasure hidden in a field that someone finds and joyfully sells everything to buy. Like a merchant finding one pearl worth all he has. Like a net cast into the sea that catches everything and is only sorted after being pulled in. Jesus asks the disciples if they have understood, and closes with one more image: the scribe trained for the kingdom, bringing out of his storeroom what is new and what is old.Key Ideas for Preaching* The mustard seed is a strange choice. Mustard was considered an invasive weed in first-century Palestine, not a tree. Jesus is comparing the kingdom to what is often unwanted, wild, and hard to contain. Where in your congregation has the kingdom been imagined as tidy, and what would it look like to hear it named as invasive?* The yeast image is done by a woman — quiet, hidden, domestic work. The kingdom is often like that: invisible until the whole batch has risen. Where in your congregation has the visible been overvalued, and what would it mean to honor the yeast?* The hidden treasure parable turns on joy. The person sells everything not out of duty but out of gladness. When has your congregation known that kind of joy — a joy that made the giving up easy? How might your sermon call it forth again?* The pearl merchant is not a lucky farmer stumbling on treasure. He is searching. Some people come to the kingdom by accident; some by long looking. Which of your people are the seekers, and what might they need to hear this morning?* The net catches everything — good and bad — and is only sorted at the end. This is the wheat and weeds again, in miniature. What does it mean that the same kingdom-shape shows up in five different images? Where might your congregation be tempted to prefer one image and dismiss the others?* The closing line about the scribe bringing out what is new and what is old is one of the most graceful sentences in Matthew. What does it look like for your congregation to hold both — the ancient wisdom of the tradition and the new thing God is doing among them — without pitting one against the other?Significant Cautions* The mustard-seed-as-invasive-weed reading is worth naming, but do not turn the whole parable into a horticulture lecture. Let the image do its work.* The “sold all he had” imagery has been used to bless coercive giving. Jesus is describing joy, not running a stewardship campaign.* The net parable closes with fierce judgment language — furnace, weeping, gnashing of teeth. Handle it with the same care as last week's wheat and weeds. The point is that the sorting is not ours.A single sermon cannot honestly cover all five parables. Do not try. Pick one — or a pair — and let it breathe.Thematic ConnectionsThis is week three of the parables arc, and the pattern is coming into focus. Two weeks ago the Parable of the Sower named God's lavish scattering. Last week the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds named God's patient sorting. This week we get five different angles on what the kingdom is actually like. Small and invasive (the mustard seed). Hidden and pervasive (the yeast). Discovered by accident and worth everything (the treasure). Discovered by long searching and worth everything (the pearl). Mixed and eventually sorted (the net).Preachers have a real choice this week. The mustard seed and yeast pair naturally, both about small things producing outsized results. The treasure and pearl pair naturally, both about joyfully giving up everything for something worth more. The net stands alone and pulls the arc back toward last week's parable. Almost any one of these will preach; trying to do all five will not.On Track One, the Genesis reading offers a striking counterpoint to the Gospel's celebration of the kingdom. Jacob thinks he is buying joy for seven years of labor. He discovers he has bought Leah, and must labor seven more years for Rachel. The parables of the treasure and the pearl both assume that what is bought is truly worth what it costs. Jacob's story shows what happens when we buy the wrong thing. A preacher can hold both — the joy the parables assume and the ache the Genesis story exposes — without pretending they resolve neatly.On Track Two, Solomon at Gibeon asks for the very wisdom the parables describe. The scribe trained for the kingdom, the one Jesus names at the close of the Gospel, could just as well be Solomon at the dream — a young leader who knows he does not know, asking for what only God can give.Romans 8 sits under the day as the great steadying word. The Spirit intercedes for us in our confusion. All things are held together in God's purpose. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Whether we are seeking the kingdom or stumbling into it this week, God's love is prior to our finding it. This is a public episode. 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This week's scripture:Psalm 86Matthew 13v1-9, 18-23Adam breaks down the Parable of the Sower. What Kingdom opportunities is God presenting to you? What about when the opportunity given isn't the one you'd choose?

Fr Chris Borah Wisdom 12:13, 16-19Psalm 86Romans 8:18-25Matthew 13:24-30, 34-43

Why does God's Word transform some people while others seem to stay the same? Why do some believers walk in God's promises while others struggle to see results? And why do so many people start strong but never finish well? Jesus answered all of these questions in one powerful parable. In this message, Pastor DaVon unpacks the Parable of the Sower and reveals the hidden reasons the Word produces fruit in some lives but not in others. If you've ever wondered why the Word doesn't seem to be “working,” this message will help you identify what's holding it back and how to become the kind of person who produces a harvest that lasts.

Text: Matthew 13:24-46. Jesus explains how we should think about evil, and evil people, in the world.  Support the showVisit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org. 

Saturday Daily Rosary - SPOKEN MALE VOICE with AMBIENT MUSIC by artist: Center of Attention  - Song Title: Fjalldrommar This week's collection of beautiful music welcomes you into a calm state of prayer as together, we offer up our intentions alongside this daily rosary. This rosary contains the joyful mysteries, recited on Mondays and Saturdays.  These mysteries focus on the Incarnation and Jesus' early life, with fruits including humility and love of neighbor. Join in the communion of saints in praying the rosary, as it connects you with the communal prayer of the universal Church and the saints throughout history, fostering a profound sense of spiritual solidarity.  The spoken portion of this rosary is 17 minutes, with extended music for additional meditation.  All music in this video is licensed thru Epidemic Sound Publishing. May this Rosary become a faithful companion to your prayer life. Additional prayer tools at www.rosarywristband.com 30 MINUTE TRADITIONAL ROSARY - JOYFUL SATURDAY - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/8NCv89Qk4Zw ROSARY - SPOKEN ONLY VERSION: Saturday - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/vv8l7xMAOmM MOST VIEWED SATURDAY ROSARY: Calm Music    https://youtu.be/ryTdYnt1eUI MOST VIEWED ONE HOUR ROSARY DEVOTION: Complete Rosary    https://youtu.be/rrNMRJ5oH-Q MOST VIEWED SLEEP ROSARY: 4 Hour Sleep Rosary    https://youtu.be/4a-uaEEJOF4 Consider a donation through PayPal to help us continue creating quality content:  https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?business=CHerrera720037%40gmail.com&cmd=_donations¤cy_code=USD&item_name=Donation+to+The+Communion+of+Saints&return=https%3A%2F%2Frosarywristband.com%2Fhome Blessings, Chris - The Communion of Saints Email: chris@rosarywristband.com Simply, easy and quick rosary prayers for everyday recitation and reflection.   This collection of Catholic rosary videos in english serve as a daily devotion and feature calm background music and nature soundscapes.   Choose from audio only or follow along video with all mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous.  Listen before sleep or any time for renewed focus and peace. "Together we pray" Visit rosarywristband.com for comfortable one decade rosaries. #Rosary #JoyfulMysteries #CatholicMeditation #SaturdayRosary #todayrosary #todayrosaryinenglish 

Friday Rosary - SPOKEN MALE VOICE with AMBIENT MUSIC by artist: Center of Attention  - Song Title: Fjalldrommar This week's collection of beautiful music welcomes you into a calm state of prayer as together, we offer up our intentions alongside this daily rosary. This rosary contains the sorrowful mysteries, recited on Tuesdays and Fridays  These mysteries focus on Christ's Passion and death, with fruits like sorrow for sin and patience. Be a part of the communion of saints in praying the rosary, as it connects you with the communal prayer of the universal Church and the saints throughout history, fostering a profound sense of spiritual solidarity.  The spoken portion of this rosary is 17 minutes, with extended music for additional meditation.  All music in this video is licensed thru Epidemic Sound Publishing. May this Rosary become a faithful companion to your prayer life. Additional prayer tools at www.rosarywristband.com 30 MINUTE TRADITIONAL ROSARY - SORROWFUL FRIDAY - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/fZE1UwFbRE0 ROSARY - SPOKEN ONLY VERSION: Friday - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/KyCey-qH-lA MOST VIEWED FRIDAY ROSARY: Calm Music    https://youtu.be/tcryvk5IlmY MOST VIEWED ONE HOUR ROSARY DEVOTION: Complete Rosary    https://youtu.be/rrNMRJ5oH-Q MOST VIEWED SLEEP ROSARY: 4 Hour Sleep Rosary    https://youtu.be/4a-uaEEJOF4 Consider a donation through PayPal to help us continue creating quality content:  https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?business=CHerrera720037%40gmail.com&cmd=_donations¤cy_code=USD&item_name=Donation+to+The+Communion+of+Saints&return=https%3A%2F%2Frosarywristband.com%2Fhome Blessings, Chris - The Communion of Saints Email: chris@rosarywristband.com Simply, easy and quick rosary prayers for everyday recitation and reflection.   This collection of Catholic rosary videos in english serve as a daily devotion and feature calm background music and nature soundscapes.   Choose from audio only or follow along video with all mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous.  Listen before sleep or any time for renewed focus and peace. "Together we pray" Visit rosarywristband.com for comfortable one decade rosaries. #Rosary #SorrowfulMysteries #CatholicMeditation #FridayRosary #todayrosary #todayrosaryinenglish

I bring you this homily today from Florence, Italy. I am here with a group of Jesuits from throughout the whole world, those working in formation, bringing them all together to learn a little bit more about artificial intelligence and how to integrate that into their ministry.Read More

Thursday Rosary - SPOKEN MALE VOICE with AMBIENT MUSIC by artist: Center of Attention  - Song Title: Fjalldrommar This week's collection of beautiful music welcomes you into a calm state of prayer as together, we offer up our intentions alongside this daily rosary. This rosary contains the luminous mysteries, recited on Thursdays.  These mysteries focus on Jesus' public ministry, including his baptism and the institution of the Eucharist, with fruits such as openness to the Holy Spirit and adoration. Join the communion of saints in praying the rosary, as it connects you with the communal prayer of the universal Church and the saints throughout history, fostering a profound sense of spiritual solidarity.  The spoken portion of this rosary is 17 minutes, with extended music for additional meditation.  All music in this video is licensed thru Epidemic Sound Publishing. May this Rosary become a faithful companion to your prayer life. Additional prayer tools at www.rosarywristband.com 30 MINUTE TRADITIONAL ROSARY - LUMINOUS THURSDAY - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/3FsR8I6WiTs ROSARY - SPOKEN ONLY VERSION: Thursday - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/S6fNrAPjf2M MOST VIEWED THURSDAY ROSARY: Calm Music    https://youtu.be/73Z7rRx6dnM MOST VIEWED ONE HOUR ROSARY DEVOTION: Complete Rosary    https://youtu.be/rrNMRJ5oH-Q MOST VIEWED SLEEP ROSARY: 4 Hour Sleep Rosary    https://youtu.be/4a-uaEEJOF4 Consider a donation through PayPal to help us continue creating quality content:  https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?business=CHerrera720037%40gmail.com&cmd=_donations¤cy_code=USD&item_name=Donation+to+The+Communion+of+Saints&return=https%3A%2F%2Frosarywristband.com%2Fhome Blessings, Chris - The Communion of Saints Email: chris@rosarywristband.com Simply, easy and quick rosary prayers for everyday recitation and reflection.   This collection of Catholic rosary videos in english serve as a daily devotion and feature calm background music and nature soundscapes.   Choose from audio only or follow along video with all mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous.  Listen before sleep or any time for renewed focus and peace. "Together we pray" Visit rosarywristband.com for comfortable one decade rosaries. #Rosary #LuminousMysteries #CatholicMeditation #ThursdayRosary #todayrosary #todayrosaryinenglish

Homily for the 6th Sunday after TrinityTrinity +6, Year AJuly 12th, 2026Homilist: Fr. Lee McLeod, CJSt. Aidan's Anglican Church, Nicholasville, KY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.staidansanglicanchurch.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lectionary Readings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Isaiah 55Psalm 65Romans 8:7–17Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23

Wednesday Rosary - SPOKEN MALE VOICE with AMBIENT MUSIC by artist: Center of Attention  - Song Title: Fjalldrommar This week's collection of beautiful music welcomes you into a calm state of prayer as together, we offer up our intentions alongside this daily rosary. This rosary contains the glorious mysteries, recited on Wednesdays and Sundays.  These mysteries focus on the events following Christ's resurrection, including Pentecost and Mary's coronation, with fruits such as faith and hope. Be a part of the communion of saints in praying the rosary, as it connects you with the communal prayer of the universal Church and the saints throughout history, fostering a profound sense of spiritual solidarity.  The spoken portion of this rosary is 17 minutes, with extended music for additional meditation.  All music in this video is licensed thru Epidemic Sound Publishing. May this Rosary become a faithful companion to your prayer life. Additional prayer tools at www.rosarywristband.com 30 MINUTE TRADITIONAL ROSARY - GLORIOUS WEDNESDAY - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/r2tCG5QM1_o ROSARY - SPOKEN ONLY VERSION: Wednesday - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/KyCey-qH-lA MOST VIEWED WEDNESDAY ROSARY: Calm Music    https://youtu.be/1Fnoyv8EmO0 MOST VIEWED ONE HOUR ROSARY DEVOTION: Complete Rosary    https://youtu.be/rrNMRJ5oH-Q MOST VIEWED SLEEP ROSARY: 4 Hour Sleep Rosary    https://youtu.be/4a-uaEEJOF4 Consider a donation through PayPal to help us continue creating quality content:  https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?business=CHerrera720037%40gmail.com&cmd=_donations¤cy_code=USD&item_name=Donation+to+The+Communion+of+Saints&return=https%3A%2F%2Frosarywristband.com%2Fhome Blessings, Chris - The Communion of Saints Email: chris@rosarywristband.com Simply, easy and quick rosary prayers for everyday recitation and reflection.   This collection of Catholic rosary videos in english serve as a daily devotion and feature calm background music and nature soundscapes.   Choose from audio only or follow along video with all mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous.  Listen before sleep or any time for renewed focus and peace. "Together we pray" Visit rosarywristband.com for comfortable one decade rosaries. #Rosary #GloriousMysteries #CatholicMeditation #WednesdayRosary #todayrosary #todayrosaryinenglish

Fr Billy Swan presents from Rome on the feast of St Bonaventure, opening with the Parable of the Sower and a question he heard Pope Benedict ask at the 2009 Chrism Mass, from twenty yards away: “Are we truly pervaded by the word of God… even more than bread and the things of this world?” […] L'articolo RM Breakfast Show – Prophet of God's Beauty: St Bonaventure – Fr. Billy Swan proviene da Radio Maria.

Marlon and Jake dive into the world of dystopian fiction, unpacking what truly makes a dystopia—and whether some of the genre's biggest ideas hold up under closer scrutiny. Along the way, they discuss why some dystopias feel more believable than others, how our understanding of these stories changes over time, and the real-world parallels that make them resonate long after the final page. Tune in as they explore how history, power, and human nature shape the worlds we imagine. Subscribe to our River-herd digital newsletter and our print newspaper, The Eddy, for sneak peeks of our upcoming books, free giveaways, and exclusive content: https://sites.prh.com/the-eddy-newspaper. The Giver by Lois Lowry Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow The Last Man by Mary Shelley 1984 by George Orwell Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban Pilgermann by Russell Hoban  The Road by Cormac McCarthy  Lord of the Flies by William Golding Pincher Martin by William Golding Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Tuesday Rosary - SPOKEN MALE VOICE with AMBIENT MUSIC by artist: Center of Attention  - Song Title: Fjalldrommar This week's collection of beautiful music welcomes you into a calm state of prayer as together, we offer up our intentions alongside this daily rosary. This rosary contains the sorrowful mysteries, recited on Tuesdays and Fridays  These mysteries focus on Christ's Passion and death, with fruits like sorrow for sin and patience. Be a part of the communion of saints in praying the rosary, as it connects you with the communal prayer of the universal Church and the saints throughout history, fostering a profound sense of spiritual solidarity.  The spoken portion of this rosary is 17 minutes, with extended music for additional meditation.  All music in this video is licensed thru Epidemic Sound Publishing. May this Rosary become a faithful companion to your prayer life. Additional prayer tools at www.rosarywristband.com 30 MINUTE TRADITIONAL ROSARY - SORROWFUL TUESDAY - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/xuBcmbi8XKM ROSARY - SPOKEN ONLY VERSION: Tuesday - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/KyCey-qH-lA MOST VIEWED TUESDAY ROSARY: Calm Music    https://youtu.be/tcryvk5IlmY MOST VIEWED ONE HOUR ROSARY DEVOTION: Complete Rosary    https://youtu.be/rrNMRJ5oH-Q MOST VIEWED SLEEP ROSARY: 4 Hour Sleep Rosary    https://youtu.be/4a-uaEEJOF4 Consider a donation through PayPal to help us continue creating quality content:  https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?business=CHerrera720037%40gmail.com&cmd=_donations¤cy_code=USD&item_name=Donation+to+The+Communion+of+Saints&return=https%3A%2F%2Frosarywristband.com%2Fhome Blessings, Chris - The Communion of Saints Email: chris@rosarywristband.com Simply, easy and quick rosary prayers for everyday recitation and reflection.   This collection of Catholic rosary videos in english serve as a daily devotion and feature calm background music and nature soundscapes.   Choose from audio only or follow along video with all mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous.  Listen before sleep or any time for renewed focus and peace. "Together we pray" Visit rosarywristband.com for comfortable one decade rosaries. #Rosary #SorrowfulMysteries #CatholicMeditation #TuesdayRosary #todayrosary #todayrosaryinenglish

Fr. Bliss, our senior pastor, preaches on the seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time. Intro for Sermon Podcasts Outro for Sermon AudioWe are a community hoping to live the Jesus-way in our city as a people of God's hospitality, God‘s restoration, and God's shalom. Learn more about All Souls Charlottesville: www.allsoulscville.com

The Sower's seed & the "Medicine of Immortality" by Fr. Michael Denk

Monday Rosary - SPOKEN MALE VOICE with AMBIENT MUSIC by artist: Center of Attention  - Song Title: Fjalldrommar This week's collection of beautiful music welcomes you into a calm state of prayer as together, we offer up our intentions alongside this daily rosary. This rosary contains the joyful mysteries, recited on Mondays and Saturdays.  These mysteries focus on the Incarnation and Jesus' early life, with fruits including humility and love of neighbor. Join in the communion of saints in praying the rosary, as it connects you with the communal prayer of the universal Church and the saints throughout history, fostering a profound sense of spiritual solidarity.  The spoken portion of this rosary is 17 minutes, with extended music for additional meditation.  All music in this video is licensed thru Epidemic Sound Publishing. May this Rosary become a faithful companion to your prayer life. Additional prayer tools at www.rosarywristband.com 30 MINUTE TRADITIONAL ROSARY - JOYFUL MONDAY - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/6UX8ObKpb3A ROSARY - SPOKEN ONLY VERSION: Monday - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/vv8l7xMAOmM MOST VIEWED MONDAY ROSARY: Calm Music    https://youtu.be/ryTdYnt1eUI MOST VIEWED ONE HOUR ROSARY DEVOTION: Complete Rosary    https://youtu.be/rrNMRJ5oH-Q MOST VIEWED SLEEP ROSARY: 4 Hour Sleep Rosary    https://youtu.be/4a-uaEEJOF4 Consider a donation through PayPal to help us continue creating quality content:  https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?business=CHerrera720037%40gmail.com&cmd=_donations¤cy_code=USD&item_name=Donation+to+The+Communion+of+Saints&return=https%3A%2F%2Frosarywristband.com%2Fhome Blessings, Chris - The Communion of Saints Email: chris@rosarywristband.com Simply, easy and quick rosary prayers for everyday recitation and reflection.   This collection of Catholic rosary videos in english serve as a daily devotion and feature calm background music and nature soundscapes.   Choose from audio only or follow along video with all mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous.  Listen before sleep or any time for renewed focus and peace. "Together we pray" Visit rosarywristband.com for comfortable one decade rosaries. #Rosary #JoyfulMysteries #CatholicMeditation #MondayRosary #todayrosary #todayrosaryinenglish  

I received an email last Thursday from my friend Doug Burdon in which he mentions a story told by Jesus.That story is often called “The Parable of the Sower and the Seed.”The story goes like this:A farmer is slinging seed.Some of the seed falls on the compacted soil of the pathway where the birds came and ate it.Seeds fall on rocky soil where it spouts, then dies because the soil is thin.Some of the seed falls among thorns where it sprouts, then gets choked out by the aggressive weeds.Seeds fall on good soil where it returns a massive harvest.Doug referred to that story to make an altogether different point than the one that I am about to make, but I think that there is a solid chance that Doug would agree with me.Look at the sower of the seed as an advertiser, and the seed itself as the message that his advertising contains.You will notice that Jesus did not say, “Target the good soil.”(He does not say it in Matthew 13, He does not say it in Mark 4, and He does not say it in Luke 8.)Think about that for a moment; a pathway is easy to see. Rocky ground and thorny patches are likewise obvious.Why did Jesus NOT tell us to avoid spreading seed in places where it is unlikely to grow?Why did Jesus NOT tell us to target the good soil?(Yes, I am talking to you about the wisdom of using un-targeted mass media to spread your message. The consistent, long-term use of broadcast television and broadcast radio continues to be wildly effective even though they reach the untargeted, unfiltered, unwashed masses.)I am convinced that Jesus was familiar with the book of Ecclesiastes, which was written hundreds of years before He was born. These are the high points of what you will find in the first 6 verses of Ecclesiastes chapter 11.“Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return.” [Translation: Don't fall into the trap of short-term thinking – RHW] …”Whoever watches the wind will not sow seed. Whoever looks at the clouds will not reap a harvest. But you do not know the path of the wind… Sow your seed in the morning, and in the evening do not let your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.”In other words, “Quit trying to know the end from the beginning. Energetic activities are more far productive than data collection and analysis.”Do not fall into the trap of short-term thinking.Sow the seed, sow the seed, sow the seed.Do not try to target the good soil.Sow the seed, sow the seed, sow the seed.Do not worry about whether or not “this” is the right time.Sow the seed, sow the seed, sow the seed.Quit thinking that you have the ability to predict the future.Sow the seed, sow the seed, sow the seed.Perhaps my beliefs are completely wrong, but if they are, then it would appear that Jesus and Solomon were wrong, too.Roy H. WilliamsColin Hodge knows that rapid business growth begins with understanding why customers think, choose, and behave as they do. Colin applies practical insights from psychology to strengthen customer loyalty and make better decisions through continual experimentation.As he tells roving reporter Rotbart, this mindset proved essential after his first successful app was abruptly pulled from Apple's app store, forcing him to start over.Today, Colin's company is back on Apple and has more than 17 million users. His story demonstrates how every setback can become the springboard to even greater success.Are you ready to run down that springboard, bounce high into the air, and reach for the stars? If your answer is “Yes,” the place for you to be is MondayMorningRadio.com.

Sermon- Matthew 13:1-9 Sower and Seed - Vogelsang by Community Lutheran Church

Father Thomas Naval proclaims the Gospel (Matthew 13:1-23) and breaks open the word. Our production staff are on holiday, so we are bringing back this homily (on today's readings) from 2023. Words for your Way from Santiago de Compostela Catholic Church in Lake Forest, California.

IntroductionGod's word is like the rain that waters the earth and brings forth vegetation. It is also like the sower who scatters seed indiscriminately. Our lives are like seeds sown in the earth. Even from what appears to be little, dormant, or dead, God promises a harvest. At the Lord's table we are fed with the bread of life, that we may bear fruit in the world.Readings: First Lesson: Isaiah 55:10-13, and Gospel: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Sunday Rosary - SPOKEN MALE VOICE with AMBIENT MUSIC by artist: Center of Attention  - Song Title: Fjalldrommar This week's collection of beautiful music welcomes you into a calm state of prayer as together, we offer up our intentions alongside this daily rosary. This rosary contains the glorious mysteries, recited on Wednesdays and Sundays.  These mysteries focus on the events following Christ's resurrection, including Pentecost and Mary's coronation, with fruits such as faith and hope. Be a part of the communion of saints in praying the rosary, as it connects you with the communal prayer of the universal Church and the saints throughout history, fostering a profound sense of spiritual solidarity.  The spoken portion of this rosary is 17 minutes, with extended music for additional meditation.  All music in this video is licensed thru Epidemic Sound Publishing. May this Rosary become a faithful companion to your prayer life. Additional prayer tools at www.rosarywristband.com 30 MINUTE TRADITIONAL ROSARY - GLORIOUS SUNDAY - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/v-gX7p-QznQ ROSARY - SPOKEN ONLY VERSION: Sunday - SPOKEN ONLY https://youtu.be/LFcRgq2cQRA MOST VIEWED SUNDAY ROSARY: Calm Music    https://youtu.be/1Fnoyv8EmO0 MOST VIEWED ONE HOUR ROSARY DEVOTION: Complete Rosary    https://youtu.be/rrNMRJ5oH-Q MOST VIEWED SLEEP ROSARY: 4 Hour Sleep Rosary    https://youtu.be/4a-uaEEJOF4 Consider a donation through PayPal to help us continue creating quality content:  https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?business=CHerrera720037%40gmail.com&cmd=_donations¤cy_code=USD&item_name=Donation+to+The+Communion+of+Saints&return=https%3A%2F%2Frosarywristband.com%2Fhome Blessings, Chris - The Communion of Saints Email: chris@rosarywristband.com Simply, easy and quick rosary prayers for everyday recitation and reflection.   This collection of Catholic rosary videos in english serve as a daily devotion and feature calm background music and nature soundscapes.   Choose from audio only or follow along video with all mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous.  Listen before sleep or any time for renewed focus and peace. "Together we pray" Visit rosarywristband.com for comfortable one decade rosaries. #Catholic #Rosary #Prayer #Sunday #GloriousMysteries  #CatholicMorningPrayerMarch #RosaryEnglish #RosaryToday  #CatholicMeditation #SundayRosary #todayrosary #todayrosaryinenglish #RosaryMaleVoice

Msgr. John Esseff reflects on Jesus the Sower, whose seed of the Kingdom grows quietly through faith, hope, and God's transforming grace. The post The Sower and the Seed – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

Father Hudgins' homily: A Sower Went Out to Sow

Are you playing it safe with your life, or are you scattering your gifts with reckless abandon? In this episode of Coffee to Go, hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith dig into the famous Parable of the Sower from the Gospel of Matthew. Positioned in the midst of "Ordinary Time"—the liturgical season built for growing in our discipleship—this scripture challenges us to look closely at the soil of our own hearts.Listen to other episodes in the Coffee to Go series. Download the transcript. Thanks for listening to Faith Unfiltered!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!Intro and Outro music used with permission: “For Everyone Born,” Community of Christ Sings #285. Music © 2006 Brian Mann, admin. General Board of Global Ministries t/a GBGMusik, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308. copyright@umcmission.org “The Trees of the Field,” Community of Christ Sings # 645, Music © 1975 Stuart Dauerman, Lillenas Publishing Company (admin. Music Services). All music for this episode was performed by Dr. Jan Kraybill, and produced by Chad Godfrey.   NOTE: The series that make up Faith Unfiltered explore the unique spiritual and theological gifts Community of Christ offers for today's world. Although Faith Unfiltered is a Ministry of Community of Christ. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those speaking and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community of Christ. 

Homily given at St. Thomas à Becket on the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 12, 2026).

Today's Gospel invites reflection, but it's about more than that.The same Sower who seems reckless with the seed is the good farmer who keeps scattering and tilling until the soil is ready.Join us every Sunday at St. John's Park Slope at 10 AM.

Msgr. John Esseff reflects on Jesus the Sower, whose seed of the Kingdom grows quietly through faith, hope, and God's transforming grace. The post The Sower and the Seed – Building a Kingdom of Love with Msgr. John Esseff – Discerning Hearts Podcast appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

We have built some real momentum in the readings for this first half of summer. Of course, you may have a congregation that is in a week, out a week — or, if you have lots of snowbirds, either your sanctuary feels more full or more empty. But the texts march on, and so do we!This is the second Sunday inside Matthew's parables chapter. Last week the Parable of the Sower opened the section; this week we get the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds. Both parables share an image of a field, a sower, and a problem — but they ask different questions. The Sower asks what happens to the word once it has been scattered. The Wheat and the Weeds asks how to live in a field where good and bad are mixed and indistinguishable, and what to do when the impulse rises to sort it out ourselves.Image courtesy of Sickle of Truth: A Bible Student BlogThe Old Testament tracks both lead toward the Gospel in different ways. * Track One follows Jacob deeper into Genesis — to the famous dream at Bethel, where Jacob, fleeing his brother's anger, lays his head on a stone and sees a ladder reaching to heaven. Psalm 139 pairs with that scene by insisting there is no place where God's presence does not reach. * Track Two offers a choice between Wisdom of Solomon's meditation on the lenient sovereignty of God and Isaiah's short, sharp declaration of God's uniqueness; both are paired with Psalm 86, including its prayer for an undivided heart. * The Epistle continues the long climb through Romans 8 — today's portion includes some of Paul's most stirring language about being children of God, the groaning of creation, and the patience of hope.A note for preachers following a series: this Sunday continues the new arc of parables. The Sower (last week), the Wheat and the Weeds (today), and in coming weeks the Mustard Seed, the Yeast, the Hidden Treasure, the Pearl, and the Net — these images are the way Jesus has chosen to talk about the kingdom of heaven. Our job as preachers, increasingly, is to slow down enough to let the images do their work.The ReadingsGenesis 28:10–19aFirst Reading (Track One) — Jacob's Dream at BethelSummaryJacob is on the run. He has just cheated his brother Esau out of their father's blessing, and Esau has vowed to kill him. Rebekah has sent him toward her brother's house in Haran, ostensibly to find a wife but really to keep him alive. The selected verses pick him up somewhere on the road, alone, in an unnamed place at sundown. He takes a stone, puts it under his head, and lies down. And he dreams: a ladder, or stairway, with its foot on the ground and its top reaching up into the heavens, and the angels of God going up and down on it. God stands beside him — or above the ladder — and renews the covenant once given to Abraham: this land, descendants beyond counting, blessing for all the families of the earth. And then the line on which the whole scene turns: I am with you and will keep you wherever you go. Jacob wakes, and the first words out of his mouth are: Surely the Lord is in this place — and I did not know it. He is afraid. He calls the place awesome. He sets up the stone as a pillar, pours oil on it, and names the place Bethel — house of God.Key Ideas for Preaching* Jacob is fleeing the consequences of his own deception. The grace God gives him in this dream is given to a manipulator on the run. Where in your congregation are people quietly assuming that God's presence is reserved for those who have their lives sorted out, and how might Jacob's story interrupt that?* “Surely the Lord is in this place — and I did not know it.” That is one of the most honest lines in Genesis. Jacob discovers that God has been somewhere he did not expect, and he himself was the last to notice. Where in your people's lives might God have been present in a place they did not credit, and what would it look like to wake up to it now?* The ladder is set up on the earth. The traffic on it is two-way — angels ascending and descending. Heaven and earth are connected, and the connection runs in both directions. How might this image steady a congregation that imagines God as remote, or imagines spiritual life as something we have to climb up to?* The promise God speaks to Jacob is mostly about presence: I am with you and will keep you wherever you go. Not just here at this holy site, but on the road. What might it mean for your people that the God of Bethel is the same God of every uncomfortable, unconsecrated place their lives will take them?Significant Cautions* Do not romanticize Jacob into a hero of the dream. He is, at this point in Genesis, a deceiver running from his consequences. The point of the scene is not Jacob's virtue but God's grace toward someone who has not earned it.* “House of God” language can be too quickly applied to a church building. The place Jacob names Bethel is a piece of open ground with a stone in it. The text is not really endorsing sacred architecture; it is naming places where God surprises us.* The promise that Jacob's offspring will inherit the land has had a long and painful history of being used to justify the taking of land from other people. If you touch this part of the text, handle it carefully and avoid reading the ancient promise as a blanket endorsement of any modern claim.Psalm 139:1–12, 23–24The Psalm (Track One) — You Have Searched Me and Known MeSummaryOne of the most intimate and personal psalms in the Bible. The opening verses celebrate God's deep knowledge of the psalmist — sitting down and rising up, the thoughts before they are spoken, the path before it is taken. The middle section asks the question Jacob might have asked: where can I go from your presence? The answer is: nowhere. Not heaven, not Sheol, not the wings of the morning, not the deepest sea, not the darkness. Even the darkness is not dark to God; the night is as bright as the day. The lectionary skips the harder middle verses and picks up at the closing: search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts; see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.Key Ideas for Preaching* This psalm reads like a meditation on Jacob's realization — surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it. The psalm extends that to every place. Where in your congregation might people need to hear that there is no place outside God's attention, and what does that mean for the places they are quietly afraid to go?* “Even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day.” That is one of the most beautiful sentences in the psalms. How might your sermon let your people feel the kindness of that line — not God's surveillance, but God's presence in the very darkness they have been hiding in?* The closing prayer asks God to search the psalmist — not to judge but to lead. That is a remarkable posture. Where in your people's lives might openness to being known by God be more freeing than the long work of self-management?Significant Cautions* God's constant knowing can feel like surveillance, especially to people who have lived under abusive or controlling authorities. Be gentle with this language. The God of Psalm 139 holds us, not watches us.* The omitted middle verses (19–22) contain harsh language about hating God's enemies. The lectionary leaves these out for good reason. If you reach for them, handle them with care.Wisdom of Solomon 12:13, 16–19First Reading (Track Two, primary option) — You Are Lord of AllSummaryFrom the book of Wisdom, part of the Apocrypha (or deuterocanonical books, depending on tradition). The selected verses celebrate God's universal sovereignty and patient mercy. There is no other God beside this one, the text says, and this God's strength is the source of righteousness. Because God is sovereign over all, God can afford to be lenient — to spare all, to be patient with all, to leave room for repentance. And then the closing line that may be why the lectionary pairs this with today's Gospel: through such acts, God teaches the people that the righteous must be kind.Key Ideas for Preaching* The connection the text makes between God's sovereignty and God's mercy is striking. Because God is in total command, God can be patient. Cruelty and impatience are the marks of weakness, not strength. Where in your congregation has impatience been mistaken for moral seriousness, and what would it look like to learn the patience of the strong?* “The righteous must be kind.” That is, in five words, the ethical conclusion the text draws from God's character. Where in your congregation has righteousness been imagined as something other than kindness, and what might shift if these two were not allowed to come apart?Significant Cautions* Some traditions (most Protestant ones) do not consider Wisdom canonical. If your congregation's tradition uses Isaiah 44 instead, the next section of this guide covers it.* “The strong are merciful” can sometimes shade into a paternalism that treats mercy as something dispensed from on high. The text is reaching for something different — a mercy that flows from confidence, not condescension.Isaiah 44:6–8First Reading (Track Two, alternative option) — I Am the First and I Am the LastSummaryA short, sharp declaration of God's uniqueness. The Lord, the King of Israel, the Lord of hosts, declares: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let them speak. Who can declare the things to come as I have done? Do not fear, do not be afraid. You are my witnesses. Is there any god besides me? There is no other rock; I know not one.Key Ideas for Preaching* “Do not fear, do not be afraid.” That phrase, echoing several Sundays back in Matthew 10, anchors this short text. The reason not to fear is the same: there is no rival power. What does it look like for your people to hear that the deepest threats they imagine have, in the end, no real competing authority?* “You are my witnesses.” That is a striking thing for God to say. It places God's people inside the testimony, not at the edge of it. Where in your congregation might the language of witness need to be recovered — not as performance, but as the kind of life that quietly testifies to what is true?Significant Cautions* “There is no other god” has sometimes been used in interreligious contexts in ways that flatten and demean other faiths. Isaiah is speaking inside a particular ancient struggle against idolatry, not handing the church a position paper on world religions.Psalm 86:11–17The Psalm (Track Two) — An Undivided HeartSummaryA continuation of the psalm we already heard a few weeks ago (Proper 7). The selected verses contain one of the most quoted lines from the psalms: teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name. The psalmist gives thanks for God's steadfast love and deliverance, names the trouble he is in (the insolent and the ruthless are after his life), and pleads for help, for a sign of favor, for God's strength.Key Ideas for Preaching* “An undivided heart.” That is a request many of us would not dare to pray, because we know how divided our hearts are. The psalmist is honest about needing to be given a single-mindedness he does not yet have. Where in your congregation might the gift of an undivided heart be more needed than the discipline of trying to manufacture one?* The psalmist names that ruthless people are after his life — and then, in the same psalm, names God as merciful and gracious. Both things are true at the same time. The psalm does not pretend the threats are not real in order to praise God. How might your people learn to hold real danger and real praise in the same prayer?Significant Cautions* “Show me a sign of your favor, so that those who hate me may be put to shame” is honest prayer but easy to weaponize. Be careful preaching this verse in a way that gives moral cover to grudges your congregation is already nursing.Romans 8:12–25The Epistle — Children of God, Heirs with Christ, Creation GroaningSummaryPaul continues the unfolding of Romans 8. We are debtors not to the old way of living, he says, but to the Spirit. All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God — not slaves anymore, but adopted, with the right to call out, in the most intimate language Paul can find, Abba! Father! If we are children, we are heirs, joint heirs with Christ, sharing in his suffering and in his glory. The passage then opens out into one of the most cosmic visions in the New Testament. The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed. The creation itself waits, with eager longing, for the revealing of the children of God. The creation has been subjected to futility — not by its own choice — in hope. It groans. We groan with it. We who have the first fruits of the Spirit groan inwardly as we wait for adoption and the redemption of our bodies. We were saved in hope, and hope that is seen is not hope. We wait, with patience, for what we do not yet see.Key Ideas for Preaching* Paul calls God by the name Jesus called him — Abba. That is the Aramaic word a child would have used, intimate, not formal. The Spirit makes us able to use that word too. What might it shift in your people's prayer life to hear that the language of intimacy with God is not reserved for spiritual experts?* Paul includes the whole creation in the work of redemption. The trees, the soil, the seas, the suffering creatures — they are not background scenery to the human drama. They are part of it. They groan; they wait. How might this widen your congregation's sense of what salvation includes?* “Hope that is seen is not hope.” Christian hope, by definition, is hope in something we cannot yet point to. We do not have it in hand; we wait for it. Where in your congregation has hope been collapsed into optimism, and how might Paul's patience steady it?* The passage holds together suffering and glory in a way that does not minimize either. Paul does not say the suffering is not real; he says it is not the final word. What does it look like for your congregation to grieve honestly and hope honestly in the same breath?Significant Cautions* “If we suffer with him” has sometimes been used to bless suffering that should be opposed. Paul is talking about the cost of belonging to Christ, not about staying in abusive relationships or harmful situations. Be careful here.* The adoption language has been used in ways that exclude or shame those for whom adoption is a complicated family experience. The word is theological here — about being made part of God's family by grace — but it lands on a particular set of human stories. Handle it with awareness.* “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory” can be heard cruelly by someone in real, present suffering. Paul is not minimizing their pain. He is naming an even larger reality. Say so.* The cosmic creation imagery (the whole creation groaning) has sometimes been used to bless any sentimental view of nature. Paul has something more specific in mind — a creation broken, in hope of being remade. Do not flatten this into pantheism or sentimentality.Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43The Gospel — The Wheat and the WeedsSummaryJesus tells another parable. The kingdom of heaven, he says, is like someone who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds in among the wheat, and went away. When the plants came up and bore grain, the weeds appeared as well. The servants come to the master, alarmed: did you not sow good seed? Where did these weeds come from? An enemy has done this, he answers. They offer to go and pull them up. The master refuses. No, he says — in pulling up the weeds, you would uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time, the reapers will sort them out. The lectionary then jumps to Jesus' private interpretation with his disciples. The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world. The good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one; the enemy is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. The weeds will be gathered and burned. The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen.Key Ideas for Preaching* The weed in this parable is almost certainly darnel — a real plant that looks identical to wheat in the early stages of growth. You cannot tell them apart until the grain heads form. The master's refusal to let the servants pull up the weeds is not a moral instruction about tolerance; it is a botanical fact. They literally cannot tell. How might your sermon take that fact seriously and let it reshape the whole feel of the parable?* The servants in the parable are confident. They are sure they know which plants are weeds. The master, gently, refuses their confidence. Where in your congregation has confidence about who is in and who is out crept in, and what would it look like to take the master's caution seriously?* Jesus tells the disciples that the field is the world — not the church. That is worth saying out loud. The parable is not giving the church permission to be lenient about who belongs inside its life. It is talking about the much larger field of the world, where good and evil grow together, and where we are not the reapers. What does it look like for your congregation to know the difference between the church's discernment and the final judgment of the world?* The history of Christian attempts to pull up the weeds in advance is, frankly, awful. The church has identified the wrong people as weeds in every generation. Where in your congregation's past, or in your congregation's present, has someone been pulled up who was, in fact, wheat? How might honest naming help your people walk more humbly into the future?* The parable is not a call to moral passivity. The wheat still has to be tended. Injustice still has to be opposed. What the parable forbids is the human attempt to do the final sorting now. How might your sermon hold together active love for what is good and patient restraint from premature judgment?Significant Cautions* This parable has been used in some of the most damaging ways imaginable — to identify whole groups of people as “weeds”. Every Christian generation has done it, and every Christian generation has been at least partly wrong. Be especially careful with any application of this parable to actual people.* “The field is the world” means just that. The parable is not a license for the church to be lax about its own internal life. Paul and other New Testament writers have plenty to say about that. But the parable is talking about the larger field, where the final sort is not ours.* The interpretation in verses 36–43 is fierce — furnace, weeping, gnashing of teeth. Be careful with this language. It is in the text, but it is not the central point. The central point is the master's caution to the servants in the first half: let both grow together. The judgment language is the backdrop, not the foreground.* “Let anyone with ears listen” has been preached as a kind of warning. It is better heard as an invitation. The parable is doing slow, careful work; the listening it asks for is patient.* The parable can be misused in the opposite direction — as a license to ignore evil because the harvest is coming. It does not say that. It restrains us from premature sorting; it does not absolve us from active love and justice in the meantime.Thematic ConnectionsThe Gospel is the natural center for the day. The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds is one of the most pastorally and politically important parables in Matthew, and the preacher who slows down with it will find that it has much to say to the moment in which most congregations are gathered — a moment in which the human impulse to sort people into wheat and weeds has rarely felt more intense.On Track One, Jacob's dream at Bethel pairs with the parable in a quiet but pointed way. Jacob is, by any honest measure, a weed in his family's field at this point in Genesis. He has cheated his brother and is running from the consequences. And God meets him with grace. The story is its own commentary on the parable: the people we would have written off as weeds turn out to be, in God's hands, wheat in the making. Psalm 139 widens the point: there is no place where God's knowing does not reach, no darkness God does not see clear through. The God who finds Jacob on the road is the same God who finds us in whatever country we have been hiding in.On Track Two, the connection runs through the question of who has the right to judge. Wisdom of Solomon names God as the sovereign whose strength expresses itself in patience. Isaiah names God as the one and only — with no real rivals to fear. Psalm 86 asks for the gift of an undivided heart. Together, these texts ease the listener into the Gospel's harder claim: the final word about wheat and weeds is not ours.Romans 8 sits inside the day as the cosmic frame. The whole creation groans. We groan with it. The hope we wait for is not yet visible. The patience Paul asks for is the same patience the master asks for in the parable — a willingness to let the field be the field, to let the harvest be the harvest, to trust that the One who set this all in motion has not lost track of any of it. The same Spirit who lets us cry Abba is the Spirit who teaches us to wait.For preachers continuing the series: the parables arc is now two weeks old. The Sower last week named God's lavish scattering. The Wheat and the Weeds this week names God's patient deferral of judgment. Together they form a particular picture of the kingdom — generous in its giving, patient in its sorting, and not finally in our hands. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lectionarypro.substack.com/subscribe

Fr. Chris Alar,  reflects on the Parable of the Sower by emphasizing that the focus is not only on the seed, the Word of God; but even more on the condition of the soil, which represents our hearts. Good soil is cultivated not only through reading Scripture and prayer, but also through regular Confession, frequent Holy Communion, acts of charity, and a faithful sacramental life. When our hearts are properly formed, the Word of God produces visible fruits of love, holiness, and transformation.At the same time, Jesus' parable is one of encouragement. We should not become discouraged when we do not immediately see results from sharing the faith. Seeds often remain hidden for a long time before they sprout. Our task is to continue planting the seeds of God's Word with patience, trusting that He will bring about the harvest in His time.  ★ Support this podcast ★

Homily for July 12th. 2026 | Marian Apostolate in MedjugorjeFr. Matthew Lamoureux's homily beautifully echoes two of the greatest spiritual messages of our time: trust in Divine Mercy and Our Lady's call in Medjugorje to conversion through prayer and perseverance.The Gospel reminds us that God is the Sower, but the condition of the soil determines how fruitful His Word becomes. Divine Mercy teaches us that God never gives up on a soul. Even when someone seems far from Him; a child, spouse, friend, priest, or even ourselves, Jesus continues to sow His grace. God's mercy is patient. He waits. He pursues. He never stops calling a soul back to Himself.This is why Fr. Matthew tells us not to try to "fix" people. Our role is to become fertile soil through prayer, sacrifice, Confession, the Eucharist, and acts of charity. Our prayers become the soil in which God's mercy can take root in the lives of those we love.Readings for July 12th.2026: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/071226.cfm ★ Support this podcast ★

Gena St. David glimpses in Jesus' Parable of the Sower, a hope that the nonviolence we see in the life of Jesus can grow “a hundredfold” in our own lives and world–creating ripples larger than we dare dream or imagine. [Matthew 13:18-23]   Reflection Questions   Where are you already practicing nonviolence–and what ripples do you imagine it could create? Where would you like to become more nonviolent–toward the planet, animals, another person, or yourself? When you practice nonviolence, how do you feel?

Sermon - Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 - The Sower and the Soils by Community Lutheran Church

In this enlightening sermon by Chris Montgomery, explore the profound teachings of Jesus on the Kingdom of God. Through the parable of the sower, learn about the nature of faith, the transformative power of God's message, and how to live a life that bears and produces spiritual fruit. Discover the importance of hearing and understanding God's word, and how our lives can witness His love to others.

One commentator has said that a parable is “storytelling with a message,” that also declares a truth, and that also asks for a response. So, when Jesus is telling a parable, it's not just a literary exercise or a brain teaser. He's using a story to call His listeners into some kind of transformation. But whether it ends up being an "ah-hah" moment for the listener depends upon their heart. Maybe parables are the ultimate heart detectors. Art credit: "Heart and Soul" by Jan Camerone. Other photos Pastor Chris referred to in this sermon: Model of a working first century Judean fishing boat. Model of the “Jesus Boat” they found at the Sea of Galilee in 1986. The actual “Jesus Boat” on display. The Sea of Galilee from Capernaum. Farther up the hill looking down toward Capernaum. “The Sower” by Millet (1850). “The Sower” by Van Gogh (1888). “The Sower” by Melani Pyke (contemporary).

Text: Matthew 13:1-23. What does it mean that Jesus compares himself to a sower, and compares us to soil?  Support the showVisit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org. 

The Sower is Not Limited by the Soil 7-12-26 Fr. Connor

God's grace is far more extravagant than we imagine. Join us as we explore the Parable of the Sower and what it reveals about the Kingdom.Send us Fan Mail

In the Parable of the Sower we can not only learn about types of soil, but the nature of the Sower. Scripture: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

The Parable of the Sower and the Seed - Luke 8:4-15

Jesus told the Parable of the Sower to reveal a simple but profound truth: the Gospel is like a seed, and the human heart is the soil. The farmer scatters seed everywhere without prejudice, because the Gospel is available to whoever is willing to receive it. When that seed takes root in a willing heart, the transformation is so dramatic that only God can take credit for it. But there are real enemies working against that growth, including worry, the love of wealth, the desire for comfort, and shallow faith that never goes deep. Jesus named these enemies so we would not be caught off guard by them. The question worth sitting with is this: what kind of soil is your heart right now?

What kind of soil is your heart? In this sermon on the Parable of the Sower, we discover that the focus is not on our ability to become "good soil," but on the relentless grace of the Sower who never stops planting His Word. God patiently tills the hard places of our hearts, removes what chokes our faith, and brings forth lasting fruit through His love and grace.

Read OnlineThe Generous Sower“A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up…” Matthew 13:3–4In today's Gospel, the Parable of the Sower is delivered from a boat, as Jesus addresses a large crowd along the shoreline. Jesus uses the natural acoustics of the water to carry His voice to the eager multitude who came to hear Him. Their earnestness offers us an opportunity for self-examination: Am I among that crowd, attentively listening as God speaks to me today? Do I go out of my way to seek, listen, and respond to the Word of God?A parable is a method that both reveals and conceals. It reveals divine truth to those who are humble and receptive, and conceals that same truth from those whose hearts are closed. The truths of the Kingdom are not concepts that can be quickly grasped. They are divine mysteries that must enter the soul and be pondered and nourished. Only the spiritually docile can penetrate their depths and allow God's Word to transform their lives.The Sower is Christ. The seed is the Word of God, and the soil represents the human heart, in all its various conditions of readiness and receptivity. Some souls await God's Word like freshly tilled, moist, and fertilized soil. As soon as the seed enters, it begins to grow rapidly—until fully grown and producing good fruit.Other souls are less receptive. Like the path, some hearts are hardened, stubborn, refusing to receive divine truth. The Word is heard, but not truly received. The enemy snatches it away before it can penetrate.Hearts that are like rocky ground are those who initially receive the Word with joy but lack perseverance. When trials come, they fall away. They may attend Mass, read Scripture, or begin with fervor, but without deep interior conversion rooted in prayer, they cannot endure the heat of testing.The thorny heart is the divided heart, where the Word of God is mixed with anxieties, riches, and pleasures. The Gospel is heard—perhaps even cherished—but it is suffocated by worldly attachments, ambition, or fear. Earthly anxieties and the fascination of riches are thorns that smother the soul and prevent it from growing.The good news is that God, the Divine Sower, is not passive. He sows the seed Himself—personally, directly, and abundantly. He is not like a remote monarch seated on a distant throne, waiting for us to come to Him. No—God always takes the initiative. He goes forth like the sower, casting His seed upon us even before we ask.The seed comes to us in two essential ways: truth and grace. As truth, God's Word enlightens the intellect to know His eternal mysteries. As grace, God's Word strengthens the will to embrace and live those truths with faith and charity.The Divine Sower sows lavishly. He casts the seed everywhere—on the path, among the rocks, amidst thorns, and upon rich earth. This is not careless, but the work of Divine Mercy. God desires that all be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Even where the ground seems hardened, shallow, or choked with thorns, He still sows. He never ceases to speak, to reach out, to invite. He sows even in places we might deem hopeless—until the final moment, when the time for sowing is ended.Reflect today on God's generous and continuous sowing in your soul. He never ceases speaking to you, calling to you, and planting His Word within you. How receptive are you? Which soil best describes your soul? It's never too late to respond in this life. God's Word can grow rapidly within us when our souls are fertile and receptive. Remove the rocks, cut down the thorns, and till the hardened path, so that the abundant seed will make its way into your heart.Divine Sower, You ceaselessly send forth Your truth and grace to enlighten and strengthen us in the mission of building Your Kingdom. Please till the soil of my heart and make it fertile, so that Your Word may take root in me, growing and producing an abundance of good fruit. Jesus, I trust in You. Image: Jules & Jenny from Lincoln, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Click here to share a thoughtIn the Parable of the Sower, we hear that the seed lands on the pathway, among the thorns, and on the rocks. Finally, some lands in fertile soil. In all four ways described here people hear the word of the kingdom, so the problem is not hearing, but treasuring it, and putting it into practice. In this episode you'll hear of one man who did just that and found he was not alone.Readings for 15th Sunday Ahttps://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/071226.cfm* Previously posted July 14, 2023

Send us Fan MailOver the next four weeks, For People will feature special guests from the Diocese of Atlanta: the Rev. Matt Babcock, the Rev. Michael White, Holle Tubbs, the Rev. Kenya Thompson. Each guest will write the For Faith weekly devotional and join For People host Melissa Rau to dive deeper into their reflections. Join us each week as they share their stories and insights.In the first guest episode, Melissa has a conversation with the Rev. Matt Babcock, vicar at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church, on the parable of the reckless sower. Reflecting on Matthew 13, they call God the “reckless sower” because God keeps sowing hope, compassion, and grace even where no one expects life to grow. They discuss why the gospel isn't asking us to obsess over outcomes, why the harvest remains a mystery, and how faith and leadership can look like simply dropping seeds and continuing to walk. Listen in for the full conversation. Read For Faith, the companion devotional.The Rev. Matt Babcock began his ministry with Holy Comforter on August 11, 2025. Matt was raised in central Louisiana and graduated from Louisiana Tech University in 2007, earning a BS in Agricultural Business. Following undergraduate studies, he moved to North Carolina, where he was introduced to The Episcopal Church. What began as volunteer service in a food pantry led to a rediscovery of the presence of God through the fruits of a community with a shared vision to live the Gospel. Serving alongside parishioners seeking to restore the dignity of God's creation eventually led Matt to explore a desire to foster communities of love as he discerned his own call to ordained ministry.Prior to seminary, Matt had a rewarding career in commodities trading, risk management, finance, and banking. He graduated in 2019 from Yale Divinity School, having earned a Master of Divinity degree; he also earned a Diploma in Anglican Studies from Berkeley Divinity School. Since seminary training, Matt has served in various positions in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, the Diocese of Chicago, and the Diocese of Atlanta. He is a Trinity Leadership Fellow and is currently pursuing a Doctor in Ministry at Candler School of Theology.Support the showFollow us on IG and FB at Bishop Rob Wright. 

Mass Prep for Matthew 13:1–23, the Parable of the Sower.God is not waiting for the perfect soul before He speaks. He throws the Word into distracted hearts, wounded hearts, hard hearts, and overgrown hearts.The soul is not a machine. It is dirt. And grace is a seed with dirt under its fingernails.