Daily Mass Readings Reflection September 20, 2025

DAILY ROMAN CATHOLIC READINGS AND SPIRITUAL REFLECTIONS Saturday, 20th September 2025 ------------------------------------------------ SATURDAY, TWENTY FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim and Companions 1 Tm 6: 13-16 Ps 100: 1-5 Lk 8: 4-15 ------------------------------------------------ LIVING THE WORD In the first reading, St. Paul exhorts Timothy to remain faithful to the Gospel, reminding him of the One whom he serves: Jesus Christ, “the King of kings and Lord of lords.” Paul describes Christ as the one “who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light.” These words are not just majestic; they are meant to ground us in reverence and awe. We are called to live not for ourselves, not for the applause of the world, but for the eternal King whose return we await. The parable in the Gospel of Luke invites us into deep self examination. Jesus, the Divine Sower, scatters the seed of the Word across all hearts, but the fruit depends on the condition of the soil. Some seed fall on the path, on rocky ground, among thorns; only the good soil bears lasting fruit. Jesus teaches that this good soil is the heart that hears the Word, holds fast to it with a good and honest heart, and bears fruit with patience. It implies that fruitfulness in the Christian life begins with receptivity. Not just hearing the Word on Sunday but allowing it to shape our decisions, our desires, our very identity. It also means recognizing the distractions and temptations that threaten to harden or choke our hearts: anxiety, pleasure, pride, superficial living. If we are not careful, we can be among those who hear the Word but never allow it to take root. But the good news is that the seed is powerful, and that the Sower is generous. If we prepare our hearts through prayer, humility, and a willingness to change, the Word will bear fruit: thirty, sixty, and hundredfold. To be rooted in the Word is to be anchored in truth, to live with purpose, and to grow in faith, even when the journey is slow or difficult. We do this not for a fleeting reward, but because we live for the King; the eternal Lord who will come again in glory. Let us, then, open our hearts anew, cultivate the soil of our souls, and live every day with our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ, our King and our Sower. Response: Come before the Lord, singing for joy.