Daily Gospel Reflection for January 29, 2025

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: Mark 4:1-20

Though January isn’t exactly a month for gardening in the Northern Hemisphere, I would bet that avid gardeners are already making plans for their upcoming flowerbeds and vegetable gardens. Perhaps some are even starting to gather seeds and materials to begin planting in their basements so that come spring, their carefully tended seedlings will be ready for the outdoors. Given the amount of care and attention they give to their seeds, it would be rather surprising if they placed them in any old corner of the yard, tossed among weeds, thorns, rocks, or otherwise less than ideal soil.

Thank goodness Jesus is not a very good gardener! When He speaks His word, He scatters it with a generous hand, allowing it to fall on every kind of soil. Jesus does not wait for us to have our hearts properly tilled, with neat furrows and well-spaced planting locations. He speaks to us when we are swayed by the world, when we allow the influence of others to dictate our behavior. He speaks to us when we doubt, when we are unsure of what we believe and whom to trust. He speaks to us when we are weary, when it all seems too much. He speaks to us even when we don’t think we are ready, when we feel too small or little or ill-equipped for the calling.

Perhaps you can look back on your life and see moments where you were among the rocks, the thorns, or the weeds. That wasn’t your only chance to allow God’s word to grow within you. Jesus returns again and again, every moment of every day. He speaks to you in Scripture, in silence, in others, in nature, in so many ways. Let His word take root and see what fruit is grown.

Ponder:

What kind of soil are you today?

Pray:

Dear Jesus, thank You for Your generosity as You continue to sow the seeds of Your word in my life every day. Please open my eyes to see how Your seedlings of love and truth are growing well and where they need tending.

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