The Good Seed

Among the nations' idols is there any that gives rain? Or can the mere heavens send showers? Is it not you alone, O LORD, our God, to whom we look? You alone have done all these things. Jeremiah 14:22

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear. Matthew 13:43

Piety
Lord, deliver us from evil and give us peace today.
Help us choose to be good seeds. Guide us when we struggle with scripture and with life.
Help us to choose life at all times and reject violence.
Help us to secure a lasting peace in the Middle East and the world for all people – the Jews, Palestinians, Lebanese, Iraqi, Afghani, Irish, Haitian, Sudanese, Cuban, American and all people. Help us to be open to your message no matter how difficult the problem or issue.
Lord, deliver us from evil and give us peace today. Amen.

Study
http://www.usccb.org/nab/080106.shtml

Today in Matthew, Jesus returns to the house. This change in scene marks a break with the crowds, who represent unbelieving Israel. From now on his attention is directed more and more to his disciples and to their instruction. The rest of this discourse is addressed to them alone.

Imagine being in the priceless position of these disciples. They were there to witness to Jesus public ministry. But when the crowds were dismissed, they got to stay with the Lord and ask him to further explain His teachings.

Imagine being able to do that today. If you are struggling with a passage in scripture, just check in with Jesus on what he really meant.

Imagine being alone with Jesus because as Jeremiah reminds us, He alone has all the answers.

A new beginning as we start a new month is reason to look back on what has come before in reflection and hope for change. Are we being “the good seed” the children of the Kingdom? Or are we being the “bad seed” the children of the evil one?

We want to be the good seed. But it can be hard in today’s world.

§ A violent, murderous man faces the death penalty in Virginia tonight despite the availability of life imprisonment. Yet we sit by and read the headlines instread of asking the Governor to commute his sentence to life in prison.

§ Israel pulled out of Lebanon in 2000. It pulled out of Gaza last year. It was making plans to pull out of most of the West Bank. Still, the suicide bombings continue, the rockets keep coming down and soldiers get kidnapped, maybe never to be returned. Yet we sit by and measure the response with comments about proportionality.

§ To break the cycle of simmering summer violence in the District, a curfew calls for teenagers to be home by 10 a.m. while the murders continue. In the suburbs, instead we worry about a few mega-mansions with rooflines exceeding the county’s 35-foot limit while murders continue to haunt the families in the Capital.

But, oh, to be a good seed, promises much for the righteous shall shine like the sun!

Imagine having the chance to ask Jesus how we should react to these and more problems faced by the world. What might he say to us? Will our ears be open to His message?

Action

Today you once again have the opportunity to ask Governor Kaine to use his lawful powers and his Catholic faith to impose a sentence of life imprisonment instead of the death penalty.

It is hard. Reading the accounts of Michael Lenz’ actions and murders in the local media do not evoke sympathy. Yet, Jesus reminds us that our God holds the power for final judgment at the end of the world on anyone He decides is a bad seed.

The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

Let us remember in our prayers the victims of violence and continue to pray, as Pope Benedict asks for peace.

Lord, deliver us from evil and give us peace today. Amen.