REFLECTIONS ON THE WORD – 01/26/22 (Memorial of St. Timothy and St. Titus)

Mark 4:18-20

18 And others are the ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown upon the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."

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Blessed Memorial of St. Timothy and St. Titus! A good soil has the right nutrients for the seed to grow. In the same way, our hearts need to have the right disposition for the word of God to bear fruit in us. In the gospel reading, Jesus spoke of the good soils which represented the people who accepted His teachings and who received eternal life. So, how can we have the right disposition? This takes place when we have a firm resolution to make Jesus the center of our lives and be faithful to the teachings He revealed to the Catholic Church, His Spouse. 

However, not everyone is following our Lord. Why is this the case? Jesus mentioned the ground full of thorns which represented the people who were attached to worldly concerns and satisfactions. Many people seek joy in watching entertainment through TV or gadgets. Others are finding happiness in gaining as many riches as possible. But, true and eternal happiness and peace can only be found in Christ. What's the point of dwelling on worldly things when that will lead us farther away from Him? Our purpose is to love Him, and this is what will heal our wounds and satisfy the deepest thirsts of our hearts. This is why Jesus is inviting us to deepen our knowledge of our own Catholic faith. He protects the Catholic Church, and we can only be protected from the temptations of evil spirits and distractions of the world if we remain united to His Mystical Body. At the same time, we should also personally know Jesus, not just know things about Him. The apostles received wisdom when they came to Jesus who was alone, a representation of how God will guide us in our silent reflection and in our prayer. In this way, our prayer life will supplement our knowlege of the faith, and both of our hearts and minds are filled by God's grace. 

May we reject the temptations and worldly attachments that we see by being more firm in our prayer life. By deepening our knowledge of the Catholic faith, we can also be more open to God's grace which will protect us from the lies being promoted by the world. Our Lord will nourish our hearts and minds everytime we seek His wisdom in humility. May we always reflect on the Truth in our prayers, so we can deepen our relationship with Jesus. As long as we persevere in holiness, our hearts will remain a garden for the seeds of God which will bear fruit in us and will grant us hope of entering heaven, our true home. 

Amen +

 

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic