Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Matthew (13: 1-9) in which Jesus tells the parable of the sower and what happens when to the seeds, depending on the soil into which they were sown.

Like all good teachers Jesus uses pictures or, in this case, parables.  In this chapter of Matthew, we have some of these pictures to show us what Jesus is trying to do. We hear of the seed being picked up by birds, or scorched by the sun, or by being choked by the thorns. We also hear that some seed falls on good soil and provides a fantastic harvest.

Jesus has sowed seeds in all of us.

In our lives, Fr Paul says, we might ask ourselves what are my pecking birds?
What is my scorched sun?
What are the thorns in my life?

In other words, what are the things in my life that stop the seed that Jesus has planted from growing?

As we reflect on this, we might also reflect, more importantly, on: What is it that I can show the Lord with pride and gratitude? What have I produced with the seed that Jesus has planted in me?

Fr Paul says, we might reflect on these two questions today.