Living WORD 

Points for Reflection: I am sharing to my dear readers these stories which I have collected to help you reflect as the Universal Church celebrates the 15th SUNDAY in OT – A. Here they are:

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# 1. Chancellor Adenauer, at 70, was given a physical examination. afterwards, the doctor gave him some advice on his health and lifestyle. When the chancellor become impatient, the doctor protested, “We can’t make you a young man.”

Chancellor Adenauer replied, “I don’t want you to make me a young man. I want you to keep me getting older.” (Athel W. Miller, AGING) ++++

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# 2. Less than 4% live and work on the farm in the USA. Each farmer produces enough food to feed 55 other people. Americans need only 15% of their disposable income for food. America exports more food than it eats. (Harold Volkmer,THE FARMER) ++++

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# 3. In the Middle Ages most of the monks, like the general population, could not read. Every morning, however, they would meet in chapel in front of a large Bible. In silence they would listen while a literate monk read a single passage out loud. He would step back after this short reading, bow, and retire in silence. He would get up and read again – the same passage. He did this over and over again until the chapel was empty.

The idea was that as each monk got something out of the reading to take with him during the day, he would leave. As the Lord invaded his life, he was ready for life. The word had power. (William Bausch) ++++

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# 4. A newspaper cartoonist amused himself one summer day by sending telegrams to 20 acquaintances selected at random; each message containing the one word, “Congratulations!”

So far as he knew, not one of them had done anything in particular to be congratulated on. But each took the message as a matter of course and wrote him a letter of thanks. Every one of them had done something that he himself regarded as clever and worthy of a congratulatory telegram. (Msgr. Arthur Tonne, CONGRATULA-TIONS ALWAYS WELCOME) ++++

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# 5.The first story recalls the seed that fell on the footpath:

It concerns Sir Kenneth Clark, the British television celebrity who produced the TV miniseries “Civilization.”

In his autobiography, Clark describes a religious experience he had in a church at one time in his life.

It was so intense that he considered making some drastic changes in the way he was living.

After the experience passed, however, Clark decided against making the changes.

Looking back on his decision, he says: “I think I was right: I was too deeply imbedded in the world to change course. But that I had ‘felt the finger of God,’ I am quite sure.”

Clark’s response might be compared to the seed that fell on the footpath. It stands for those who receive God’s word but later lose it because Satan steals it away from them before it can take root. (Illustrated Sunday’s Homilies) ++++

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# 6. Our second story recalls the seed that fell on rocky soil:

It concerns two brothers, Clarence and Robert, who had committed their lives to Jesus in their youth.

Clarence grew up and became a civil rights activist.

Robert grew up and became a lawyer.

One day Clarence asked Robert for legal help in a civil rights matter.

Robert refused, saying that it could hurt his political future.

Clarence was stunned.

He confronted Robert about his commitment to Jesus.

Robert responded, saying, “I do follow Jesus, but not onto the cross.

I’m not getting myself crucified.”

Clarence looked at his brother and said, “Robert, you’re not a follower of Jesus; you’re only one of his fans.”

Robert’s situation might be compared to the seed that fell on rocky ground.

It stands for those who receive the message with joy but abandon it in time of temptation. (Illustrated Sunday’s Homilies) ++++

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# 7. Our third story recalls the seed that fell among briers.

It concerns a high school girl in Philadelphia. One night she wrote the following comments in a homework assignment: “I got a strange feeling in class today when we were discussing the parable about the farmer who planted seed.

“You see, at the end of last year, I had a great talk with my counselor. She helped me see a lot of things clearly, and I made several resolutions.

“Then yesterday it hit me. I hadn’t kept a single one of those resolutions. I had gotten so involved in school again that I forgot all about them.”

The girl’s comments might be compared to the seed that fell among briers.

She received her counselor’s words with joy but forgot about them once the rat race of life got started again. (Illustrate Sunday’s Homiulies) ++++

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# 8. Finally, our last story recalls the seed that fell on good soil.

It concerns the author John R. Stott. In his book Basic Christianity he describes an incident that happened in his youth.

One night he knelt down and committed his life to Jesus.

The next day he wrote in his journal: “Yesterday really was an eventful day! …

Behold, Jesus stands at the door and knocks. I have heard him and now he has come into my house. He has cleansed it and now rules in it.”

Later on, Stott wrote these words: “I really have felt an immense and new joy …. It is the joy of being at peace with the world and of being in touch with God …. I never really knew him before.”

John’s commitment might be compared to the seed that fell on good soil.

It stands for those who hear God’s message and take it to heart. (Illustrated Sunday’s Homilies) ++++

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Brothers and sisters, after giving the Parable of the Sower to the crowd, Jesus said to His disciples, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them it has not been given.” [Mt. 13:10] To the disciples it was meant to know the way to the Kingdom of God because they were blessed. They had eyes that saw and ears that heard. Others, having dull hearts, listened but did not understand. They looked but they did not perceive.When we hear the Word of God, do we really hear it in our heart? Do we see the work of God all around us or is everything coincidental to us as it is to many who are not of our fold?