It is amazing to think about how rapidly the population of the world has grown. In 1804, the population of the world reached 1 billion people for the first time in history. In 1927, the population reached 2 billion. Today, the population of world is 7.88 billion people. Both China and India each have more than 1.3 billion people. You can imagine, one issue that so many countries have faced in light of this huge growth of population is: How do we feed so many people? In the 1960s, many agronomists knew this challenge was coming. One agronomist from the United States went to India with a wheat seed that he had developed. He convinced the Indian authorities to give this new seed a try. They planted some of this new strain of wheat in the Punjab region of India where results were amazing. Later, they introduced a new variety of rice. These new seeds enabled India and other Asian countries to avert famine. Today, with its huge population, India actually produces a food surplus and has become a major rice exporter, shipping nearly 4.5 million tons in 2006. Here we see the power of a seed, how it can change the world. Jesus, in today’s Gospel tells us about power of the word of God using the parable of the sower who sowed the seeds in different types of ground.
Starting this week, for three weeks in a row, we will hear Jesus speak in parables from Gospel of Matthew. Jesus used parables to help the people better understand what the Kingdom of God was really about. As we hear about the sower who sows some seed that dies, while other seeds take root and produce, we're to think about God’s word taking root in our lives and the way we sow the seeds of his kingdom. All of us, every single man, woman and child sitting here at mass today, are to be like a good farmer. Like a farmer who faces floods, drought, or other kinds of disasters, as disciples, we are called to engage in the work of evangelization to plant seeds of hope and faith, to sow the best seeds available to us. Just as the farmer uses the sun, wind, and rain to produce a good harvest, we are to use the reality of God’s creation around us to sow and to plant. As the Son of God, Jesus works through the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, providing the grace to nourish and sustain our faith. Only if we whole-heartedly apply ourselves to this life of faith, only if we use the resources around us, only if we truly give it our best effort, will we be able to truly grow as disciples and evangelize others.
A few years ago, evangelizer Sherry Waddell was the speaker at our Diocesan convocation. She is the author of a book entitled Forming Intentional Disciples. In her book, Wadell states that a big mistake we make in our parishes is that we assume that all those who have been baptized and grow up Catholic are truly evangelized themselves. She asserts that many of those in our pews have not really been evangelized. To put it another way, how many professed Christians are not really living productive spiritual lives? Yet, our reality and the challenges we have in our life of discipleship are not supposed to frustrate us or cause us to be cynical. We are to take heart, to face our challenges with enthusiasm and hope, to be on fire for the Lord.
Jesus’ message was rejected in his hometown. He received opposition and hostility from the scribes, Pharisees, and chief priests - the Jewish authorities. Many times, the synagogues refused Jesus entrance to preach, causing him to go out to preach to the people on the hillsides and the shore. Jesus’ parable today about the seeds that were sown in different types of soil attempted to encourage the apostles and give them hope. This parable assured them that his Good News would produce the intended affect in spite of the challenges and opposition. At the time Matthew was writing his Gospel, his Jewish-Christian community also experienced a lot of adversity, just as we modern disciples face many challenges as well.
Where do I find hope as a priest in these challenges? I remember reading in Canon law about the obligations I have as pastor, and one of those obligations reads: “The pastor is to see to it that the Most Holy Eucharist is the center of the parish assembly of the faithful.” (528.2). The Eucharist sustains me as a priest, giving me encouragement, energy, and hope. I was thinking back to the months when we were not able to have Mass during the pandemic. Even in the midst of working hard on so many things in the chancery office, I made the effort to stream Mass every day over FaceBook Live, making the Mass available to my parishioners in the virtual world even when we were not able to have public Masses. I saw so many of the parishioners attending Mass virtually. Even my cat wanted to join us for Mass a lot of times during the pandemic, so much so that I had to carry her out of Mass because she had barged into the chapel during Mass and was meowing too much or wanted to be held.
It is my hope as pastor, before anything else, to foster that love and desire to receive the Eucharist in the lives of the faithful, and of you my parishioners. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “‘The liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; it is also the font from which all her power flows.’ It is therefore the privileged place for catechizing the People of God.” (CCC 1074). Jesus enters our lives in the Eucharist and in the Mass in a special way. The Church instructs us in the Mass in a unique way that is found in no other activity. If I did not have the love I have for the Eucharist and the Mass, I would not survive as a priest. That is the truth.
We here at Holy Savior and Immaculate Conception parishes want to foster a greater love and respect in the Eucharist. We are going to work very diligently to provide meaningful liturgies, fostering that love and respect. But I want all of us to work hard at evangelization as well. Most of us have busy lives, juggling very busy schedules. With my work at two parishes, the diocese, two prison ministries, and other ministries and activities, I know what it is like to have conflicting schedules always battling for my time. Our families have work duties, family oblations, the children’s school and sports and extracurricular activities - a lot going on. However, we want to reach out to everyone in our parish, to have opportunities to learn and grow in our faith. So, we have religious education for children and youth, a very active youth group, and faith activities for adults as well. We already have a lot of adult activities in our parish. We are going to start a monthly luncheon one Wednesday a month, which will appeal mostly to those adults who are retired or who have some free time during the day. However, what we are trying to do is reach out to the adults who have busy children and youth, to our young adults who are single and married. We have an event this Tuesday to talk about your needs, about what topics of faith you are interested in, and most importantly, when in your busy schedules you can attend some faith focused events here at our parish.
I am very passionate about my service as a priest. Even though I am very active in my different ministries in the community and my work as vicar general, my main vocation as a priest is as your pastor, and I am very joyful and enthusiastic about that. I want us to be an active vibrant parish. I want everyone to feel welcomed and invited. Again, we want to hear from our adults, to hear how we can better engage you in our faith formation activities. Think about coming to our evening event this Tuesday at 6:00 pm.
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