24TH SATURDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 8:4-15) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“The seed that fell among fell among thorns, they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along, they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life, and they fail to produce mature fruit.” (Lk 8:14)

FIRST READING - 1 Tim 6:13-16

"Keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ."

A reading from the first letter to Timothy

¹³ I charge [you] before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate for the noble confession, ¹⁴ to keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ ¹⁵ that the blessed and only ruler will make manifest at the proper time, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, and whom no human being has seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal power. Amen.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Lk 8:4-15

"Some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew, it produced fruit a hundredfold."

✠From the Gospel according to Luke

^4 [a]When a large crowd gathered, with people from one town after another journeying to him, he spoke in a parable.^{[b] 5} “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path and was trampled, and the birds of the sky ate it up. ⁶ Some seed fell on rocky ground, and when it grew, it withered for lack of moisture. ⁷ Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. ⁸ And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew, it produced fruit a hundredfold.” After saying this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”

⁹ Then his disciples asked him what the meaning of this parable might be. ¹⁰ He answered, “Knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been granted to you; but to the rest, they are made known through parables so that ‘they may look but not see, and hear but not understand.’

^{[c] 11} “This is the meaning of the parable. The seed is the word of God. ¹² Those on the path are the ones who have heard, but the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts that they may not believe and be saved. ¹³ Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, but they have no root; they believe only for a time and fall away in time of trial. ¹⁴ As for the seed that fell among thorns, they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along, they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life, and they fail to produce mature fruit. ¹⁵ But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.

24TH SATURDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 8:4-15)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

The Word of God today, God desires to tell to all humanity the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven through the parable of the seed sown into the soil. This is the Word of God planted in the heart of each person, and how it develops and grows.

God has always loved humankind. He uses parables that are practical and easy to understand in order to teach people about the profound mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven. He makes known that:

• The Kingdom of Heaven is reserved for those who receive the Word of God and put it into practice, so that it may bear fruit through their obedience and faithful actions according to God’s Word.

• The Kingdom of Heaven is not for those who hear the Word of God but do not put it into practice, like the image of the seed that falls along the path.

• The Kingdom of Heaven will not belong to those who hear the Word of God but allow the stones—that is, the passions of the world—to overshadow and cover the seed, preventing the Word of God from growing and bearing fruit.

• The Kingdom of Heaven will also not belong to those who crave wealth and riches, valuing material possessions above all else. For such desires for wealth and riches will choke the Word of God, hindering it from growing and developing within the soul, so that it cannot bear the good seed which is eternal life.

• Finally, God wishes to say to everyone, the Kingdom of Heaven is reserved for those with simple and humble hearts, who always recognize themselves as weak and lowly, in need of God’s salvation. They are the ones who continually listen, obey, and entrust themselves to God the Father in all things.

God reveals that the condition for entering the Kingdom of Heaven is both difficult and easy: difficult for the proud, the arrogant, and the self-satisfied who believe they know all things; yet easy for those with a simple heart, who are always self-abasement and humbly acknowledging that they are sinners and weak before God. Such people can easily enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

God does not demand from humanity anything beyond their strength, except trust and obedience to Him. God knows all things; He knows what each person needs and desires.

Therefore, the Word of God today calls upon everyone: choose God as the one and only God; open wide the door of your heart so that the Word of God may be sown, may grow, may develop, and may bear fruit through listening to and practicing the Word of God. Living in this way, the Kingdom of Heaven will belong to them.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

19:00 September 20, 2025 - Prayer of Divine Mercy - The Way to Heaven