FranciscanMedia.org | Sharing the Word | Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Listen to Today's Homily

Sharing the Word is a daily 90-second radio homily by Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk, based on the weekday Mass readings. Sharing the Word is a companion to the Sunday Soundbite,and is also heard on Catholic radio stations around the country.

Program for Friday, July 27, 2012 (Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time)
Why was the fruitfulness of Jesus' mission so disappointing, so sparse?

Windows Media | MP3 | RSS

Sharing the Word Archive

Today's Reading

Mt. 13:18-23

This parable was important to the development of Jesus’ mission. It’s in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, each time with an explanation from Jesus.

The parable addresses the question of the fruitfulness of Jesus’ mission. Why were the results so disappointing, so sparse? This was a matter of some concern for the hearers of Jesus as well as for the early Christians.

The lesson of the parable is that there is nothing wrong with the seed, i.e., the words and actions of Jesus that express His mission. If the results of the sowing are sparse, it’s because of the poor quality of the soil in which the seed is sown.

What kind of soil do I provide for Jesus’ seeds to grow in?

Meet Archbishop Pilarczyk

Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk, the eighth ordinary of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Ohio, is a nationally prominent churchman, educator and author. A native of Dayton, Ohio, he was ordained a priest on December 20, 1959, after studies in Rome. He was ordained bishop in 1974 and installed as Archbishop of Cincinnati in 1982, where he served until his retirement in 2009. In addition to a doctorate in sacred theology from Pontifical Urban University, he holds an M.A. in classics from Xavier University in Cincinnati and a Ph.D. in classics from the University of Cincinnati. He has written more than a dozen popular books and many pamphlets and articles. His best-selling book is Twelve Tough Issues – And More. His most recent books are When God Speaks and Live Letters. The archbishop’s service to the American church includes terms as vice president (1986-1989) and president (1989-1992) of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Connect With Us

Partner With Us

Franciscan Media and Franciscan Media Productions exist to "Share the Word that is Jesus Christ." We invite you to join in our efforts through prayerful support and financial donation. Click here to make a donation.