Homily Cycle A 7/16/2023 – Offered at OLPH

 

Homily Cycle A 7/16/2023 – Offered at OLPH

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/071623.cfm

 

What is your rocky ground?

What are your thorny areas?

What is your rich soil?

The prophet Isaiah tells us, that in the end God will reign supreme.  No matter what happens – God will conquer all evil.

There is an urbane legend about a Cherokee Indian visiting a friend in New York City, while they were walking in the city he suddenly said, “I hear a cricket.”  His friend said, “Oh, you’re crazy.”   “No, I hear a cricket.  I’m sure of it.”  “The friend replied it is 12:30 pm in New York City; hundreds of people of people bustling about, plus cars, taxis honking, noise everywhere.”

"I'm sure I do." 

He listened attentively then walked to the corner, across the street, & looked all around, where he found a shrub in a large cement planter. 

He dug beneath the leaves and found a cricket, needless to say his friend was astounded.  The Cherokee said, "My ears are no different than yours… I will show you … what I mean?"  He reached into his pocket pulled out a handful of change and dropped it on the sidewalk.  People all around them stopped and turned toward the fallen coins.  "It all depends on what you are listening for." [Sermons.Com, ChristianGlobe Network, Inc.]

We need "ears to hear," to hear God’s Word, to hear God’s Voice & courage to follow God with our whole heart, soul and will.  

Maybe this story can help us, an elementary school teacher asked her students to write an essay about what they would like to be.  Reading the essays that evening at home, one student’s essay that made the teacher cry.  Her husband walked in just at that moment. “What’s wrong?”

She said, “This is one of my students’ essays, read it.”  Here is what he read: “I would like to be a television set.  I want to take its place & live like the TV in my house.  I would have my own special place & have my family around me.

They would take me seriously when I talk.

I would be the center of attention and people would listen to me without interruption or questions.  I would have the company of my dad when he arrives home from work, even when he is tired.  And I want my mom to want me when she is sad and upset instead of ignoring me.  And I want my brothers to fight to be with me.

I want my family to just leave everything aside, every now and then, just to spend some time with me.  And last but not least, I want them all to be happy & entertain them.  I just want to live like a TV.”

 

The husband looked up. “That poor kid. What horrible parents!”   The wife looked at him & said, “That essay is our son’s.”

We are called to trust that our simplest acts of kindness and forgiveness, the help we offer may be the “seed” that re-creates & transforms our homes and hearts, to the patient work of God’s harvest.  We should take some time today to reflect on the soil of our souls making sure that it’s God’s soil.   [Adopted  Connections, July 2023, Adopted form Connections July 2023 Reprinted with permission of Bits & Pieces, Ragan Communications. “As seen on TV . . . .”]

 

 

May God Be Praised.