Today, July 12
Feast of the Day
No feast of the day
Saint of the Day
Readings of the Day
Book of Isaiah 55,10-11.
Thus says the LORD: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; It shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.
Psalms 65(64),10.11.12-13.14.
You have visited the land and watered it; greatly have you enriched it. God's watercourses are filled; You have prepared the grain. Thus have you prepared the land: drenching its furrows, breaking up its clods, softening it with showers, blessing its yield. You have crowned the year with your bounty, and your paths overflow with a rich harvest; the untilled meadows overflow with it, and rejoicing clothes the hills. The pastures are clothed with flocks, the valleys blanketed with grain; they cheer and sing for joy.
Letter to the Romans 8,18-23.
Brothers and sisters: I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us. For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 13,1-23.
On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear." The disciples approached him and said, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" He said to them in reply, "Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because 'they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.'" Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: 'You shall indeed hear but not understand you shall indeed look but never see. Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and be converted, and I heal them.' But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it". Hear then the parable of the sower. The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold."
Daily Reflection
Brethren, we must take care that the Word who came forth from the Father's mouth and came down to us through the mediation of the Virgin Mary does not return back empty (Is 55,11) but that we return grace for grace to him through this same Virgin. Let us then call to mind unceasingly remembrance of the Father for as long as we are left to sigh after his presence. Let us make the torrents of his grace rise back to their source that they may return to us even more abundantly... You keep the Lord in mind, therefore do not refrain from speaking, do not keep silent about him. Those who are already living in his presence do not need this warning...; but those who are still living in faith must be exhorted not to answer God with silence. For “the Lord speaks; he proclaims peace to his people”, to his holy ones, to those who return to themselves (Ps 85[84],9). He hears those who hear him; he will speak to those who speak to him. Otherwise he, too, will keep silent if you do not speak, if you do not proclaim his glory. “O you who are to remind the Lord, take no rest and give no rest to him until he re-establishes Jerusalem and makes of it the pride of the earth” (Is 62,6-7). For sweet and lovely is the praise of Jerusalem... But whatever the offering you bring before God, remember to entrust it to Mary that grace may rise up to its source through the same channel that brought it down to us... Have great care to present God with the little you have to offer him through Mary's hands, those most pure hands, worthy of receiving the best welcome.