Sown into each of us is a seed of faith. Then we are scattered into the world into every level of status and wealth, and into all sorts of situations. This seed is in every facet of human life, no ground unseeded. This faith is to make a difference in a world slaved to decadence (Second Reading). We are planted into lives of others for the purpose of becoming sowers of the Good News.

We cannot escape this slavery to decadence. Our own lives are constantly caught between worldly and spiritual desires. Unfortunately, they pull us in opposite directions causing us to groan inwardly. This happens to us every day. Sometimes we have a choice but many times we do not. And situations take us into fields we did not choose to go. So even though we have this seed of faith is us, our faith is like a pendulum swinging between doubt and hope.

This seed of faith is faith given to us to help us make our way through life, to understand the sufferings that come our way. I think that what we suffer in this life can never be compared to the glory, as yet unrevealed, which is waiting for us (Second Reading). Being human, we are tested not by God but by events that happen to us. God in turn use these events to grow the seed in us as we oscillate between pain and joy in daily life.

It is within our human nature to always stumble. And it is within our spiritual nature to be always returning to our Creator. So, we cannot be disheartened when our faith swings like a pendulum. We will swing between being interested and disinterested in our faith life, as we are attracted or distracted. As we oscillate between revenge and forgiveness, we fall into sin and rise by the grace of God. We leave the Church, but we will return.

In these swings, our seed grow. Despairing times are fertile grounds for faith to grow. Often in despairing circumstance we feel alone, left behind by the world. In this extreme swing into doubt, we will desperately in our nature reach out for hope. It is in our empty tomb where we will encounter the Risen Christ. Only from experiences will we understand with our heart and be converted and healed (Today’s Gospel).

Our faith life is also this pendulum swing between seed and sower. As seed grow, we become more sower; sower to make a difference to the lives we are placed amidst. Our seed grows as we understand with our heart. Our roots reach deeper with each experience. As we grow in conviction, we will not be choked by worries of this world or lured by its riches. Our seed will grow till it yields a harvest and now produces a hundredfold.

We all have this seed in us. The purpose of our life is to sow this seed of faith into the lives of others, as we together make our way through the pains of our daily life. Our purpose is served when the word that goes forth from my mouth does not return to me empty (First Reading). As the pendulum swing, be heartened that challenging experiences in life is the most fertile soil for seed to grow.

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time