WEDNESDAY OF THE SIXTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, JULY 23, 2025

MASS READINGS:

Gospel

Matthew 13:1-9

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up.

Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

REFLECTION

In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks to the crowd that gathers about seeds falling on different soils. I read this passage multiple times, and every time I would think of how annoyed I get with others. Jesus let the crowd gather.  He moved to create more space for them. I will push others away, and don’t allow myself the flexibility to let others in or will become bothered by not having space. Jesus spoke to the crowd in a way they could understand.  I get frustrated when I have to find a way to explain things to others. This Gospel makes me pause and reflect on how I can be Jesus to others, especially the ones who (I think) are hard to love. 

I imagine that when Jesus sat down by the sea it was peaceful, calm. I don’t know what he was doing, but I do know he had to move because people were crowding around him. I think of when I get to mass early to pray. It is calm, peaceful, and then the crowd pours in. Sometimes I let this bother me (like I haven’t been late before). Other times I marvel at how full church is and thank God for that. What a beautiful thing a full church is, with everyone worshipping God together. In this Gospel, I think Jesus was unbothered and perhaps delighted to be able to share a parable with others. 

It is so easy to let the little things get to you, but it is just as simple to offer those things up joyfully. Rather than allowing trivial annoyances in, turn those into something jovial and create that joy. Perhaps that is one way to look at the good soil.  We can be the rich soil Jesus speaks of in the Gospel, and aid him in producing much fruit, by being joyful especially in the small annoyances of daily living.