A reflection for the 15th Sunday of the year by Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy SDB. Image: The Sower by Bernadette Lopez via Qumran2.net

In our Gospel today, Jesus presents one of the most popular parables ever: he tells the tale of a farmer who goes out to sow seeds for the harvest. We can readily remember the details of his the seed can fall into different situations that can either promote or stunt growth. These past few months, we have been forced to live at home, unless we were key workers. Our homes have become our workplace, school, gym, cinema, place of worship and the one place where we could experience total safety. Every week the seed of God's word has come to us through our reading of the text or our sharing through the internet. Sometimes that Word found us in a good space and, at other times, the Word spoke to an empty and distracted soul. The fact is that the Word DID speak to us during these days of pandemic and God continues to speak to us whatever our mood or state of being.

That God speaks to especially in our homes rather than a Church building is especially telling in these days. The Word of God is sown in our hearts and minds within our own homes, influencing what we say and do and HOW we do it. The prophet Isaiah reminds today us that "my word that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty." As we see in the very first book of the bible, God's word is creative. The incarnation sees the reality of God's WORD through Jesus, "the word made flesh."

If we find the word of God hard time comprehend, especially in these difficult times, then we are in very good company-the Gospel tells us that it was the apostles who needed this simple parable explained to them. What space are you in today? How is God's word going to plant itself into our homes and families today? How is that word going to transform us during this coming week? As St James reminds us, words without actions mean nothing and so today we are invited to make that WORD of God a reality in our lives.

Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible-St Francis of Assisi