The Return of the Relics of the Holy Apostle Bartholomew (829-42); Holy Apostle Titus
Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat.
2 Corinthians 11:5-21; Mark 4:1-9.
Read Mark 4:1-9
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
How many times have we heard today’s Parable of the Sower and yet we always find a new depth or way of applying this teaching into our lives. We live in a highly materialist culture, which values material wealth over everything else and even to the exclusion, and denial, of spiritual wealth. This age is so contrary to the experience and teaching of our Holy Church Fathers. St. Gregory the Great has this to say about today’s Gospel reading:
If it were I who told you that the seed signifies the word, the field the world, the birds the demons and the thorns riches, perhaps you could doubt my words: but it is our Lord Himself who interprets His own words. Who would ever credit me if I wished to interpret thorns as riches, especially since thorns pain us, while riches delight us? And yet these are thorns, because they wound our soul with the prickings of the thoughts they inspire, by enticing us to sin, they besmear us with their pollution … They are deceitful because they cannot remain with us for ever, they are deceitful because they cannot satisfy the needs of our heart. The only true riches are those which make us rich in virtues. So, brethren, if you wish to be rich, love true wealth; if you desire the highest honours, seek the kingdom of heaven. If you love the glory of high rank, hasten to be numbered among that exalted court of the angels… But He who said to those same people: ‘He that has ears to hear, let him hear,’ was referring, beyond doubt, to the ears of the heart. See then that the discourse which you hear takes root in your heart. Take care that it does not fall by the wayside, lest the wicked spirit come and take it away. (St. Gregory the Great. Parables of the Gospel, XV. B#48, pp. 68-71.)
Based on what we heard from St. Gregory, the Fathers of the Church would consider Christians of the 21st century, who live in the materialist west, to live in a constant waste land and a massive minefield, which needs to be navigated safely. Getting through a minefield requires proper monitoring equipment, which helps indicate coming danger. You can run through the minefield without the proper tools, but your survival chances are very slim. Thank God for God as we have been given the proper tools to navigate this life and that gift is Christ and His Word. When we allow the Word of God to guide and orient our life to it as the highest priority, to the exclusion of all other worldly priorities, our life will bear much fruit, which will be pleasing to the Lord and bring about the salvation of many.