💖 HOMILY - SEPTEMBER 20 💖

First Reading - 1 Timothy 6:13-16 

Gospel - Luke 8:4-15

Every farmer knows that seeds are full of potential, but their growth depends on the soil that receives them. In much the same way, our lives are like fields, and the Word of God is the seed. If our hearts are open and ready, God’s Word takes root, grows, and bears abundant fruit. This is the central theme that ties today’s readings together: the call to cultivate hearts that welcome God’s Word with faithfulness and perseverance.

In the first reading, Paul charges Timothy to keep the commandment of faith “unstained and free from reproach” until the coming of Christ. Paul reminds us that God is the source of life and that Christ will appear in glory at the appointed time. To remain faithful requires vigilance and perseverance, because the Christian journey is not a sprint but a steady endurance until the end.

The Gospel parable of the sower illustrates the same truth. The seed is good — it is the living Word of God — but not every heart receives it well. Some hearts are hardened, some distracted by trials, some choked by worries and wealth. Only the rich soil, the heart that listens, embraces, and perseveres, produces abundant fruit. The difference lies not in the seed but in the soil.

The Word of God invites us today to examine our own hearts. Am I a distracted listener who quickly forgets the Word? Am I letting worries or worldly desires choke my faith? Or am I cultivating a heart of prayer, humility, and trust so that the Word can grow within me?

If we remain faithful like Timothy, and if we nurture the seed of God’s Word with patience, prayer, and perseverance, our lives will bear the fruit of love, peace, and holiness. Let us then ask the Lord to make our hearts rich soil, ready to receive His Word and to produce fruit that lasts for eternal life.