A Heart that Is Fertile and Fruitful: God's Will for Us

In today's first reading, Isaiah 55: 10-11,  the Lord tells us through the prophet that "[j]ust as from the heavens the rain and s now come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and  fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from  my mouth;  my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end fore which I sent it." 

God is a humble God Who works with us.  God waits for our cooperation!   God sends His word to us just as He sends rain and snow to nourish the ground so that whatever seeds we plant for our physical well-being have a chance to come to fruition. The seed of the Word, which God sends to nourish our spirit-self, also needs fertile soil, a heart prepared in such a way that the seed of God's word can take root and bear fruit that will last for all eternity: love, justice, truth, forgiveness, generosity, fidelity,  peace, and joy.

What bars my heart from being open and ready to receive God's Word? The "soil" of my heart may be too rocky and thus the seed does not take root. I may not have allowed God to water it, staying too busy, to involved in things I consider more important than taking time for solitude. I may be so enamored by the things which the world offers and which the world says I must have to be happy that I do not take time for things that really bring joy and happiness to the soul: being faithful in my marriage or in my religious or priestly life, being generous with giving time and attention to the ones---my spouse or my children or grandchildren, my fellow religious or fellow priests, one's parishioners--to whom I have committed my heart by my marriage vows or vows of religious or priestly profession.  I may be so bowed down by worries and anxieties--problems I am trying to resolve without calling upon the Lord--that the "soil" of my heart chokes off the Word of God and or blocks graces that God "rains" down from heaven to assist us in doing His will!

Lord, may I turn to You, knowing that You wait for me and that in Your hands are all I need to live a fruitful life: a life of love and peace, a life of self-sacrificing love for the sake of others' well-being.s