15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Many farmers concur that a sizable, consistent snow pack is nature’s preeminent fertilizer. (Was this past winter in New England a blessing
in disguise?) As the heavy winter blanket begins to melt, the ground
slowly absorbs the water’s nutritional benefits, “making the earth
fertile and fruitful.” Second Isaiah uses this very simple imagery of water to offer a profound truth regarding God’s sacred word: it penetrates the soul slowly and effectively, always achieving the end for which it came.
How can the sacred word touch our lives more effectively? We allow the Word of God to penetrate slowly and deeply into the ground of our being, inviting us to listen to its message at ever deepening levels. We can easily do this by paying attention to a word, phrase or passage that captures our hearts. And this requires listening! We may actually be surprised by what the Spirit is revealing to us in our hearing. As we journey throughout our day we find opportunities to be reminded of this word or passage. In quiet moments – and let’s find more of them – we ponder its message.
In today’s reading we might hear St. Paul calling us to greater hope and trust as he reminds us of the fleeting nature of our suffering. We may hear our Master Gardener Jesus speaking to us through today’s Psalm response: Thus have You prepared my land, drenching its furrow and breaking up the clods of my heart. The Gospel, rich with its own imagery of good and bad soil, may nudge us with Jesus’ invitation to prepare the soil of our souls that we may understand with our hearts and be converted.
We need only take one word, phrase or passage, turn it over quietly within our day and allow it to soften our hearts, penetrate our being, and move us to response or action. With God’s help, this word will achieve the end for which the Lord has planted it in our hearts.And if you want guidance to go deeper, consider enrolling in the Catholic Biblical School this Fall! Classes are opening in Waterbury, West Haven, and Bloomfield!
The author, Ms. Barbara Gawle, leads Bible studies at her parish, Incarnation Church of Wethersfield, CT. She is a CBS graduate and the 2012 recipient of the Biblical School's highest award, The Lawrence Boadt Memorial Medal.
