FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
16 JULY 2017
The
parables of Jesus are incredible teaching tools, because they tell stories
which people readily understand. In
today’s parable of the sower and the seed, he speaks to those who are familiar
with agricultural methods in his day.
They know the dynamic of sowing seed into the ground. But there is always a twist in his parables
to get their undivided attention. The
twist in this parable involves the sower scattering seed everywhere. Seed was precious, and no farmer would risk
throwing seed on hardened footpaths, or on rocky ground, or among thorn bushes.
But God’s
Word is spread everywhere, and I’ve seen various reactions of people to that
Word over my 43 years as a priest. Some
people cannot accept God’s Word, because their hearts are so hardened that the
Word cannot penetrate. Others accept
God’s Word initially with joy. We see
this in RCIA. Newly baptized and newly
received Catholics are enthused about their faith. But unless there is a spouse, a closely
related sponsor, or some kind of connection to the parish, odds are good that
they will not pursue the faith. Others
begin as committed Catholics. But,
engaged in travel teams or other priorities, they stop coming to Sunday Mass,
and they drop off. But I have also seen
lots of people who have the open hearts of rich soil and have allowed that Word
to take root in their lives. A farmer at
the time of Jesus would have been delighted with a yield of tenfold. Jesus promises a yield of a hundred or sixty
or thirtyfold.
Through my
long friendship with Father Larry Kanyike, I have seen the incredible yield of
faith in the people of Uganda. Beginning
with the martyrdom of Saint Charles Lwanga (pictured on our Triumphal Arch) and
his companions in the 19th century, the faith in Uganda has
definitely taken root. When we traveled
to Father Larry’s parish five years ago, Mike Wargo, Eric King, my nephew Ben,
and I witnessed the vitality of that faith.
Thousands of parishioners waited for hours for the dedication of their
new church, and most of them stood in the hot sun and listened to the Liturgy
from loud speakers set outside. In
addition to the new church at the center of the parish, there are four
outstations where Mass is celebrated every Sunday, since most parishioners must
walk to Mass. His parishioners were
profoundly grateful for the assistance we gave in building their church. The soil of their hearts is very rich, and
the yield is obvious.
But they
live in a Third World country, and they are very poor in material
possessions. A recent drought has caused
starvation in a country normally verdant with vegetation. That is why Father Larry has sought our help
so often. Through our generosity, he has
constructed a health clinic for his parishioners. We helped build his church, restored his
rectory, and paved the road in front of the church and school. Father Larry would have been here this
weekend, but he could not get a visa.
So, I am asking for your help on his behalf.
When we
were there five years ago, the poor condition of his parish school was
evident. You can check out the pictures
in today’s bulletin and investigate the display in the back of church. There is also a video on our website. With our help, Father Larry can provide a much
healthier facility for his school children.
Buildings in Uganda are very simple and utilitarian. Labor and material costs are much less than
what we have here. Because of the
climate, there is no need for heating or air conditioning. They still use outhouses.
There are
envelopes at the ends of all the pews.
If you are prepared, you can take one now, make a contribution, and
place it in the basket with your sacrificial gift. If you need more time or information, take
the envelope home, study the materials, and bring it back next Sunday. In Father Larry’s name, thank you! Hopefully, he will receive his visa and be
here to thank all of us in person before the end of the summer.
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