Gospel: Luke 16:1-13
At another time Jesus told his disciples, “There was a rich man, whose steward was
reported to him because of fraudulent service. He summoned the steward and asked
him,‘What is this I hear about you? I want you to render an account of your service,

Gospel: Luke 8:4-15
As a great crowd gathered, and people came to him from every town, Jesus began
teaching them with a story:


“The sower went out to sow the seed. And as he sowed, some of the seed fell along the way, was
trodden on, and the birds of the sky ate it up. Some seed fell on rocky ground; and no sooner had
it come up than it withered, because it had no water. Some seed fell among thorns; the thorns grew
up with the seed and choked it. But some seed fell on good soil and grew, producing fruit, a hundred
times as much!” And Jesus cried out, “Listen then, if you have ears to hear!”

The disciples asked him, “What does this story mean?” And Jesus answered, “To you it has been
given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to others it is given in the form of stories, or
parables, so that, seeing, they may not perceive; and hearing, they may not understand.

Now, this is the point of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the wayside are
people who hear it; but immediately, the devil comes and takes the word from their minds, for he
doesn’t want them to believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are people who receive
the word with joy; but they have no root; they believe for a while, and give way in time of trial.
Among the thorns are people who hear the word, but, as they go their way, they are choked by
worries, riches, and the pleasures of life; they bring no fruit to maturity. The good soil, instead,
are people who receive the word, and keep it, in a gentle and generous mind, and, persevering
patiently, they bear fruit.

Reflect:

The parable of the sower presents us with four kinds of hearts: a shallow heart, a hardened heart,
an overcrowded one, and a fertile, open, a welcoming heart. The word of God that falls on the
shallow wayside is soon lost. In a hardened, rocky heart, the word simply cannot grow root.
The word of God is suffocated within a crowded, thorny heart. In a fertile, open, and welcoming
heart, the word thrives and produces much fruit. The consoling news is that the gospel does not
foreclose the possibility of conversion of one kind of heart to another: The first three kinds of hearts
can anytime choose to cooperate with the grace of God to become fertile and receptive to the word
of God, as did the heart of the “good thief” crucified along with Christ. At his last moment, his heart
opened up, received the word, and woke up in the Paradise with Christ

© Copyright Bible Diary 2022

Gospel: Luke 8:1-3
Jesus walked through towns and countryside, preaching and giving the good news of
the kingdom of God. The Twelve followed him, and also some women, who had been
healed of evil spirits and diseases: Mary called Magdalene, who had been freed of

Gospel: John 19:25-27 (or Luke 2:33-35)
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister Mary, who
was the wife of Cleophas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw the mother,

Gospel: John 3:13-17
No one has ever gone up to heaven except the one who came from heaven,
the Son of Man.

Gospel: Luke 7:11-17
A little later, Jesus went to a town called Naim. He was accompanied by his disciples
and a great number of people. As he reached the gate of the town, a dead man was
being carried out. He was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow

Gospel: Luke 7:1-10
When Jesus had finished teaching the people, he went
to Capernaum.

Gospel: Luke 15:1-32
Meanwhile tax collectors and sinners were seeking the company of Jesus, all of them
eager to hear what he had to say. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law
frowned at this, muttering, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.

Gospel: Luke 6:43-49
No healthy tree bears bad fruit, no poor tree bears good fruit. And each tree is
known by the fruit it bears: you don’t gather figs from thorns, or grapes from
brambles.Similarly, the good person draws good things from the good stored in
his heart, and an evil

Gospel: Luke 6:39-42
And Jesus offered this example, “Can a blind person lead another blind person?
Surely both will fall into a ditch. A disciple is not above the master; but when fully
trained, he will be like the master.