HOW IS OUR HEART

Jeremiah 1:1-10; PS 71 I will sing of your salvation; Matt 13:1-9


We revisit the gospel from several sundays back the sower and the seed on this wednesday.

I thought I might join my reflection with the reflection of Pope Francis on the same gospel.


Pope Francis mentioned that the parable speaks to each of us as an opportunity to examine our hearts as Pope Francis ask: how is our heart?

We spend countless energy on our physical health.  We get check ups on a regular basis.  We fret about our diet, our blood pressure, our wrinkles, our cholesterol and the list in varied and long in regards to our bodily health.

Only if we spent half that time and energy tending to our spiritual health as well.

So back to the question: how is our heart? "Which soil does it resemble?  It is up to us to become good soil with neither thorns nor stones, but tilled and cultivated with care, so it may bear good fruit for us and for those we encounter."   So says the Pope.

In fact we may never be with out thorns or rocks but I learned long ago on the farm, throne and rocks are dealt with has they arise.  We never waited for the soil to be perfect; we planted and dealt with the stones and thorns as needed.  We can be that way in our spiritual lives as well.

Attentiveness is a necessary ingredient.


Secondly the Pope reminds us that we too are sowers.  "God sows good seed; which type of seed  comes out of our heart and our mouth? Our words can do much good and also much harm" they can heal or they can wound; they can encourage or they can dishearten."


How is our heart?  The answer is found in what comes forth from our heart in our relationships.  It is good to take our hearts pulse on a daily basis.