A little boy opened the big, old family Bible with fascination and looked at the old pages as he turned them. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible, and he picked it up and looked at it closely. It was an old leaf from a tree that had been pressed in between the pages. “What have you got there, dear?” his mother asked. With astonishment in his voice, the young boy answered, I think I just found Adam’s suit.

The Bible is the number one best seller in the world. In the Bible we find God’s love expressed in words. It is God’s love letter to us. Therein we have the directions for our life. The word B I B L E means, Basic Information Before Leaving Earth. How good are we at listening especially for the Word of God? God is ever ready to speak to each of us and to give us understanding of His word .

This Sunday’s parable of Jesus is a warning to those who hear and who preach the word of God. What makes us ineffective and unresponsive to God’s word?. Preoccupation with other things can distract us from what is truly important and worthwhile. And letting our hearts and minds be consumed with material things can easily weigh us down and draw us away from the treasure that lasts for eternity.

God’s word can only take root in a receptive heart which is docile and ready to hear what God has to say. One lesson is clear, the harvest is sure. While some seed will fall by the wayside and some fall on shallow ground and never come to maturity, and some is choked to death by the thorns, nonetheless a harvest will come. The seed that falls on good soil, on the heart that is receptive, will reap abundant fruit. Are we teachable and eager to learn God’s truth? And do we allow anything to keep us from submitting to God’s word with joy and trusting obedience?

Fr. Joseph.