The devil labors tirelessly.

[Music] thank you so since Jesus explained the gospel we have no questions now right maybe maybe not A sower went out to sow what is a sower I remember explaining this to some kids and they had no idea what sewing meant it says SO sewing they think all they can think of is needle and thread but to sow is to scatter seed to plant seed so sower is one who scatters seed and so the sower goes out and sows and and the seed is the word of God the seed is the word of God and remember what the word of God is the word of God is not just the sacred scripture in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God Jesus himself is the word so Christ comes to the world this was the first reading the first reading we heard just a moment ago Justice from the heavens the rain and the snow come down and do not return there till they have water the Earth making it fruitful fertile and fruitful giving seed to the one who sows so shall my be so shall my word be that goes from my mouth my word shall not return to me void but shall do my will and so the word of God Has Come Among Us the word of God is Jesus himself the word of God is the sacred scripture the word of God is truth and so we are so privileged to have received that word right it's been sown into our hearts but there is some question about how well it's growing how fruitful it will be and then there is this reality yes the seed has been sown but take care lest you think you stand but then you fall you know we can think that we have it all but then we fall in the reality that we are in a battle when Jesus speaks about these three different conditions A sower went out to sow and some seed fell on the path and the birds came and ate it up some on Rocky ground it had little soil and some among the thorns and the and the and the weeds and then Jesus explains he explains what this what's happening here and before I get into the explanation that you heard a moment ago I just want to re I want to make this point that this sower that went out to sow God who sows the seed of the word Jesus himself who comes Among Us very generously we must remember something that just think that the seed is expensive the seed is very valuable and it would almost seem wasteful that it would be sown among the thorns and the rocks but that's God's generosity see God is the sower and he's generous in giving life and so God this generous sower gives life and life is a gift and we have received this gift it has been sown to us but we can't be naive in thinking that there's not there's not sin in the world identified as the birds and the rocks and the thorns and the thistles in the gospel today so life comes to us as a gift the seed is given the share of God's being given to us and then this explanation about the birds and the rocks and the thorns you've all I think heard of the World the Flesh and the devil if you've never heard those things expressed in that way let me just say this we have three enemies we have three enemies in kind of classic Catholic theology we have three opponents to our Salvation the World the Flesh and the devil and when Jesus goes through the birds of the air and the rocks and then the Thorns if you paid close attention you will have heard that there were three things that were tripping us up as the seed is going to be fruitful the seed was sown on the path as the one who hears the word without understanding it and the evil one who's the evil one the devil the evil one and comes and steals away what was sown in the heart you know the word of God has been sown into our hearts in fact one of the things about being a human being is that we were made in the image and likeness of God and that God's word is put into us from our very creation and who is coming to steal it away so Jesus says the seed sown on the path is one who hears the word of the coming of the Kingdom but doesn't understand and the Devil comes to steal it away and then the seeds sown on the rocky ground when some tribulation or persecution comes so we have the devil taking what was sown out of the heart and now we have tribulation and persecution the weakness of our flesh so the devil and the Flesh and finally the seeds sown among the Thorns is the one who hears the word but worldly anxiety and The Lure of riches choke the word and it Bears no fruit so above all if you don't hear me say anything else this morning I want you to hear me say this that this word of God has been sown into your heart and that you have three enemies seeking to steal the word of God from your being from your family from your community from your nation from your church from this world and those three enemies that are Relentless in their attack the World the Flesh and the devil and how do we understand that the devil a real and personal enemy a fallen angel the father of Lies who labors relentlessly against us yes my brothers and sisters the word has been given to us but we have that whisper that comes to us The Whisper of doubt The Whisper of mockery The Whisper of selfishness that Whisper of pride and arrogance and self-sufficiency and so the devil likes to stay hidden but he likes to sow the seed of doubt he likes to sow the seed of of self-sufficiency he likes to sow the seed of nothingness you know I was and I would recommend to you all the screw tape Letters by C.S Lewis it's a incredibly profound work of C.S Lewis imagining this battle between the human soul and the devil and one of the things that was interesting about the work is that when the the the the person who's being attacked by Satan receives the sacraments receives baptism is converted then all of a sudden there's a noxious fog that surrounds him that repels Satan's attacks so it's an interesting thing that we must recognize this spiritual battle that we are in now unfortunately in the world today it has become kind of fashionable in some circles to say there is no devil let me hear it I'm here to tell you when Jesus says the evil one comes to steal away the seed that was sown in the heart he's talking about the devil okay it is a clear fact the church teaches it over and over again one of the reasons that we pray Saint Michael the Archangel defend Us in battle protect us against the wickedness and snares of the devil one of the reasons that I like to have that prayed in our church is so that you don't fall into the Trap of saying well there is no devil that's just you know whatever no here it is the seed is sown we have three enemies the World the Flesh and the devil the liar the Whisperer who mocks who stirs up fear who is arrogant and prideful and so my brothers and sisters we stand in battle today to receive the sacraments to make sure that we have that noxious fog of Grace that repels Satan from his attacks on us so the one thing the seed that was sown on the path the birds swooped in and stole it away and that is Satan himself and then we have the flesh their seed received when some tribulation was some persecution comes then we fall away immediately these are Jesus's words he falls away immediately to Fall Away to fall away from faith could that happen there are some Christians who say you can't fall away I was reading a little commentary on this passage of the Gospel earlier today just this morning I worked on the homily yesterday and I worked on it again this morning and and they said well you know if you fall away that just proves that you were never saved well either way it doesn't matter either way the fact of the matter is our Lord is telling us that when some tribulation or persecution comes certain people fall away and let me tell you and if you haven't figured it out already tribulation and persecution are part of life the trials and difficulties that we experience in our faith Journey they are a part of life they are certain they will come Jesus tells us with no doubt without without blinking without stuttering he tells us you will suffer persecutions you will he says Those Who persevere to the end will be saved so my brothers and sisters we recognize that our flesh is weak and that we must be strengthened in our battle against the flesh the tribulations and trials you know whenever we pray the Our father and I had a very brief conversation about this with somebody yesterday whenever we pray the Our father and we get down to lead us not into temptation but Deliver Us from Evil we're praying against the Flesh and the devil in those two petitions lead us not into temptation and without getting too deep into the the challenge of translating the Our Father the the it might be better if we translated it this way whenever we Face the trials and Temptation that are sure to come to us in life may we not fall that's what it means when Jesus teaches us that we not that lead us not into temptation because the trials are going to come but will the trials become occasions for us to sin so our flesh is weak and we need strength and we have these enemies so my my brothers and sisters so the seed received that fell among the uh I'm sorry that that it falls on the um I have to back up and read the gospel I'm sorry went out to sow he said some sea fell on the path and the birds came and ate some fell him on the rocky soil where it had little soil Rocky groundwater had little soil and so the rocks are the weakness of the Flesh and then finally the worldly anxiety in The Lure of riches choke the word and so my brothers and sisters we have to ask this question is my soul good ground is my soul good ground and how do we remove the rocks how do we scare off the birds how do we pull the weeds a life of faith recognizing our call to receive the sacraments frequently to pray daily to ask God to protect us from Temptations and trials to give to pray to fast these are the ways that we till the soil of our soul these are the ways that we resist the Temptations of Satan so we are in a spiritual battle the seed has been sown it has been received into our heart but the devil will try to steal it away the rocks will try to Snuff it out and the thorns and thistles will try to choke it so take care my brothers and sisters you have received God's word we stand in that word we pray that we will not fall

Channel: Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church

Views: 6,231

Keywords: Abortion, Faith, Fr. Mike, Fr. Mike O'Connor, Fr. O'Connor, Gender Affirmaton, Gendor Disphoria

Id: F5x_p6o0VhA

Length: 14min 0sec (840 seconds)

Published: Sun Jul 16 2023