FARM WORK

“One day a farmer went out…” –Matthew 13:4

Mass Readings: July 26
First: Sirach 44:1,10-15; Resp: Psalm 132:11,13-14,17-18; Gospel: Matthew 13:16-17

Listen to the Mass Readings

The kingdom of God is like breaking ground. The ground may be rock, a footpath (Mt 13:4), or just rocky (Mt 13:5). In our post-Christian, anti-Christian culture of death, groundbreaking is a major task. We can break open the hardest ground and hardest hearts by obeying the Lord. Often He calls us to pray and fast, prophesy, and suffer redemptively. These are principal ways in which the Lord lets us join in groundbreaking.

The kingdom of God involves not only breaking ground but also clearing ground of the thorns, which are worldly desires hindering our growth in the Lord (see Mt 13:7). We can help clear ground by repenting of compromising with the ways of the world (see Mt 13:22). In this way, we crucify our ”flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24) and help others do the same.

In God’s kingdom, we work not only with types and conditions of ground; we also work with fruit. We can increase our fruitfulness from thirty- or sixtyfold to a hundredfold (Mt 13:8), and help others do the same by yielding completely to the Holy Spirit (see Gal 5:22-23, 25).

Farmers for Jesus, break ground, clear ground, and increase the yield of fruit. Farm for Jesus.

PRAYER: Father, may I put in a good day’s work each day on Your farm (see 1 Cor 3:8-9).
PROMISE: “I will now rain down bread from heaven for you.” –Ex 16:4
PRAISE: Sts. Joachim and Ann accepted God’s call to marry and raise a child. They dedicated their daughter to God, and He blessed her among all women.