Wednesday 23 July 2025 - Good soil

Wednesday 23 July 2025

Today is Wednesday the 23rd of July, the feast of St Bridget of Sweden, in the 16th week of Ordinary Time. Jon Guerra and Sandra McCracken with The Porter’s Gate sing, ‘The Kingdom of Jesus’. To what shall we compare the Kingdom of Jesus if not a seed? It's small, it's sown, it's tended and grown and it's stirred in you and me Its branches never break and its fruit never withers His Kingdom is not of this world or of any Kingdom whose ruler's face is on a penny He comes to make all things bright and put a new wine in us He's chosen the small things to outlast the great The meek and the merciful to shine through the hate Though it seems some days that Hell and its gates are prevailing Oh, say can you see the kingdom within us Is the Kingdom of Jesus? To what shall we compare the spirit of the hour if not a sword? It frees us, unites us, enslaves and divides us and violence, help us Lord His Kingdom is not of this world or of any Kingdom whose ruler's face is on a penny He comes to make all things bright and put a new wine in us He's chosen the small things to outlast the great The meek and the merciful to shine through the hate Though it seems some days that Hell and its gates are prevailing Oh say can't you see we have one allegiance? It's to the Kingdom of Jesus He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world He who is in us is greater and He's overcome the world Oh His Kingdom is not one of slander or rage But one that is ruled by the Lamb who was slain And is worthy of wisdom and honour and glory and strength No pain, no division, no public disgrace Will compare with seeing the smile on His face As He welcomes the poor as children with places at the table Not a death, nor threat, nor power can ever separate us From the love of God forever in Christ Jesus Everything shall pass away but not the Word that's within us It's the Kingdom of Jesus Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 13:1-9 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!’ This is the reading to commemorate the Feast Day of St Bridget of Sweden. Her devotion to family, to the poor, to Church reform proves her to be seed very well sown. Most of us wouldn’t put ourselves quite in that category. Perhaps you can see yourself, to some extent, in all of the images Jesus uses. Where are you like the seed that falls on the path and goes nowhere except to the birds? . . . Rocky ground? Are there times when your early enthusiasm wanes rather quickly when a challenge comes? . . . What thorns limit the fertile growth of your life by crowding you out and stealing your energy? . . . And, thank God, where has your seed fallen on good ground and is bearing fruit? . . . What is the good ground? . . . what nourishes the tender plants? . . . how is your garden watered? . . . what brings light and warmth to help you grow? . . . As you listen again, you might imagine Jesus actually speaking it in situ, and pointing to the different examples of seed sowing. He might engage in some playful banter with the children as they help him to tell the story . . . Matthew 13:1-9 And he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!’ As Jesus looks at this parable with you, which of the four images is he most interested in? Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be World without end Amen