Willingness to listen to the Word of God.

It is sadly said of our time that there is much and useless talking and little or poor listening. Let us remember how much damage we have done to ourselves by not paying attention, not paying proper attention to something, and the message being important to us. The pupils would not have to learn so much if they paid more attention to the teacher’s explanation.

Knowing how to listen can also tell us how much we respect and obey a person. This is not only true in ordinary life but also about God’s Word.

The Gospel explains in detail the relationship of man to the heard word of God. The parable of the sower is one of the best known. The sower is Jesus Christ; the seed is his word, the soil is the hearers who receive his words differently. The emphasis is on the harvest from the grain that has fallen into the good earth. Jesus means the success of his mission. He touches even those who take a dismissive, indifferent, or superficial attitude. When asked about the meaning of the parables, Jesus uses a quotation from Isaiah the prophet, “… that they may look and not see, that they may listen and not understand, that they may be converted and not forgiven.” (Isa. 6:9).

These words point to the fate of hardened people. They will listen and not understand the meaning, they will not be converted, and therefore they will not be forgiven since they will not stand for it either, thus forfeiting their salvation. We see that the Lord Jesus Himself explained the parable. His word – the grain is sound; it can grow and bring forth a harvest. The Sower – Jesus Christ, who taught the apostles for three years, continues to proclaim the Gospel through the Church.

Therefore, we believe that the Church cannot be mistaken because she has received a guarantee from Christ: whoever listens to you listens to me… The sower and the seed are fine, but the harvest will be abundant, depending on us.

Let us examine how we are prepared to listen to God’s Word, put it into practice in our lives, and allow it to grow in our daily lives. Let us reflect on the number of sermons the reflections we have heard. How many lessons and warnings have we heard in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and other sacraments. Can we say that all these words have fallen on good ground? Did they bring the harvest that was foreseen? Have they been reflected in our lives as they should have been? No one can say that the harvest got a hundredfold benefit. We must not be discouraged by this fact, quite the contrary. The parable of the sower is meant to stir us up to take up the role of the excellent soil again and more seriously.

It is a beautiful thing when we decide to do everything in our power and ability to take God’s Word responsibly and seriously. Let us also take the Sunday readings, sermons, and interpretations seriously. Let us deepen our knowledge of Sacred Scripture. In this way, God sows great riches into our hearts. Let us cherish every word that seeks the salvation of our immortal soul.