16TH WEDNESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Matthew 13:1-9) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“Some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. ” (Mt 13:4,7)

FIRST READING - 16:1-5, 9-15

A reading from the Book of Exodus

The children of Israel set out from Elim,

and came into the desert of Sin,

which is between Elim and Sinai,

on the fifteenth day of the second month

after their departure from the land of Egypt.

Here in the desert the whole assembly of the children of Israel

grumbled against Moses and Aaron.

The children of Israel said to them,

“Would that we had died at the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt,

as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread!

But you had to lead us into this desert

to make the whole community die of famine!”

Then the LORD said to Moses,

“I will now rain down bread from heaven for you.

Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion;

thus will I test them,

to see whether they follow my instructions or not.

On the sixth day, however, when they prepare what they bring in,

let it be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole congregation

of the children of Israel:

Present yourselves before the LORD,

for he has heard your grumbling.”

When Aaron announced this to the whole assembly of the children of Israel,

they turned toward the desert, and lo,

the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud!

The LORD spoke to Moses and said,

“I have heard the grumbling of the children of Israel.

Tell them: In the evening twilight you shall eat flesh,

and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread,

so that you may know that I, the LORD, am your God.”

In the evening quail came up and covered the camp.

In the morning a dew lay all about the camp,

and when the dew evaporated, there on the surface of the desert

were fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground.

On seeing it, the children of Israel asked one another, “What is this?”

for they did not know what it was.

But Moses told them,

“This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.”

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - 13:1-9

From the Gospel according to Matthew

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.”

16TH WEDNESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Matthew 13:1-9)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

The Word of God today speaks to everyone about the Word of God being sown in each soul through the parable of the sower.

The seed is the Word of God sown and given to people, in all circumstances and in many different environments.

The image of seeds being sown in the ground symbolizes that each person's soul is like a piece of land created by God. He has sown the seed—His Word—into each soul. Whether or not the soul receives the Word of God depends on the ability of the seed to take root and grow in that soil.

The image of the seed that fell by the roadside the birds came and took it away represents those who hear the Word of God but allow Satan to steal it away. From that point on, their souls are no longer close to God.

The seed falls on rocky ground and has very little soil. The seed is the Word of God in the soul and will also grow, but then that soul cannot fight against Satan, so the Word will also be lost.

The seed that falls on a soul filled with thorns may begin to grow. However, because the soul is overrun with thorns—symbolizing worldly passion, the pursuit of glory, and attachment to wealth—it is not close to God. The seed of the Word is choked by Satan, leaving no room for it to take root and flourish. As a result, it cannot produce fruit.

The seed is sown in good soil—soil free of rocks and thorns, where the soul does not welcome wild beasts, wealth, glory, thorns, pride, or worldly passions. This represents souls who devote themselves solely to nurturing the Word of God, allowing it to grow, gain strength, and bear abundant fruit. This is where the soul will receive the fullness of grace that God gives. Through these graces, the Word produces good fruit—that are souls. Therefore, the seeds that fall on good soil will lead many souls back to God the Father.

In today’s Word of God, God the Father teaches everyone that whoever believes in and follows His Word will see the Word grow and develop within their soul, and it will bear much spiritual fruit—namely, saving many souls back to God the Father. On the contrary, whoever does not believe in His Word will cause the seed of the Word sown in their heart to die, and as such, the fate of that soul will belong to Satan.

Thanks be to God. Amen.