Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: July 23, 2025

Date: Wednesday of the 16^th Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture Text:  Matthew 13:1-9

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

Today’s gospel reading brings us Jesus’ familiar parable about the fate of the seeds sown by the sower. The point of the parable is the receptivity of the soil to the seed as Jesus encourages us, the soil, to be receptive to the Word of God.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

How receptive am I to the Word of God? Do I allow other concerns or activities to crowd it out of my life?

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, the source of all being, we turn to You, hungry for your Word and its transformative power in our lives. Send your Spirit to tenderize us so that we might be more receptive to your Word, to your power and your presence in our lives. Grant that we may cooperate with your will and your grace and that our lives and love for You will produce much fruit. We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Spirit, one LORD, forever and ever. Amen.