Gospel: July 23, 2025
July 23, 2025 (Wednesday)
16th Week in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 4 (Green/White)
St. Bridget of Sweden, religious
Ps 78:18-19, 23-24, 25-26, 27-28
The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
1st Reading: Exodus 16:1-5, 9-15
The Israelites left Elim and the entire community reached the desert of Sin, between Elim and Sinai, on the 15th day of the second month after leaving Egypt. In the desert the whole community of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron and said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in Egypt when we sat down to caldrons of meat and ate all the bread we wanted, whereas you have brought us to this desert to let the whole assembly die of starvation!” The Lord then said to Moses, “Now I am going to rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to gather what is needed for that day. In this way I will test them to see if they will follow my Teaching or not. On the sixth day when they prepare what they have brought in, they will find that there is twice as much as they gather each day.” Then Moses directed Aaron to say to the whole community of Israel, “Draw near to the Lord for he has heard your complaints.” It happened that as Aaron was speaking to the full assembly of Israel, they turned toward the desert and saw the Glory of the Lord in the midst of the cloud. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “I have heard the complaints of Israel. Speak to them and say: Between the two evenings you will eat meat, and in the morning you will have bread to your heart’s content; then you shall know that I am the Lord, your God!” In the evening quails came up and covered the camp. And in the morning, dew had fallen around the camp. When the dew lifted, there was on the surface of the desert a thin crust like hoarfrost. The people of Israel upon seeing it said to one another, “What is it?” for they didn’t know what it was. Moses told them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”
Gospel: Matthew 13:1-9
That same day, Jesus left the house and sat down by the lakeside. Many people gathered around him. So he got into a boat, and sat down, while the crowds stood on the shore; and he spoke to them in parables about many things. Jesus said, “The sower went out to sow; and, as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path; and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil, and the seeds sprouted quickly, because the soil was not deep. But as soon as the sun rose, the plants were scorched; and they withered, because they had no roots. Again, other seeds fell among thistles; and the thistles grew and choked the plants. Still, other seeds fell on good soil and produced a crop: some a hundredfold, others 60, and others 30. If you have ears, then hear!”
Reflection:
“The soil of our lives”
Each year I try to grow a few vegetables on the terrace of our seminary. Gardening can be both satisfying and frustrating, depending upon the results. But over the years, I have learned more about how important it is to have good soil. The soil needs to be free so that the roots can spread. It needs to be clear of weeds and stones, so that the seedlings can thrive, and it should be rich in nutrients, so that the plants will yield a good crop. In other words, if the soil is inhospitable and unreceptive by its poor condition, the seed has little change to grow. Seeds of virtue. Seeds of holiness. Seeds of a life in Christ. Christ sows these in our lives, through our created being, through the Sacrament of Baptism, through the teaching and good example of our family, the Church and wider society. But virtue needs to be worked at. It has to be nurtured so that the positive dispositions take root, flourish and bear fruit in one’s life. Our task is to prepare the soil of our lives so that it’s able to receive the seeds of faith.
