Pope Francis, in his encyclical Laudato Si’, says “When people become self-centered and self-enclosed, their greed increases. The emptier a person’s heart is, the more he or she needs things to buy, own, and consume.”

Because of the pandemic, more people have embraced the digital world. Social media has been our main window onto the world, both for good or ill. People use it for financial gain, both good or bad. Likewise, social media has made some people become self-centered and self-enclosed so that they end up so “in love” with the image and content they had created and they get drowned in it. This seeking of self-satisfaction is a sign of a growing sense of loneliness and emptiness in the hearts of many people.

A friend of mine, a vlogger, shared that it is very possible that one could find addicting and enjoyable posting fake information on a video platform because people are more interested in viewing them. When a vlogger gains more views, he then also gets to earn a greater pay from that content even when it does not speak of the truth. Clearly, in this digital era, the devil is contaminating the word of God with his lies in the form of false information and sources of security. The beauty of Christ’s word has been trampled upon like the seed sown on the path. Therefore, we must sow this hope in our hearts that with our small concrete steps, in our own brand of witnessing to the word of God, we can live better and influence others more positively in this digital world.

The parable in the Gospel is a reminder that God is still planting seeds today. The seed is in abundance and God is endlessly patient. God acts in the simplicity of open hearts, in the patience of those who pause until they can see clearly. He will not give up on us, nor will he give up on others around us. In silence, with attentive hearts, we open ourselves to the action of the Holy Spirit to continue to guide us in sowing the Good News in different contexts so that the words of Jesus continue to resound in the hearts of every man and woman in every age.

By: Sem. Glicerio T. Tano

Today’s Gospel

Lk 8:4-15

When a large crowd gathered, with people from one town after another
journeying to Jesus, he spoke in a parable.
“A sower went out to sow his seed.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path and was trampled,
and the birds of the sky ate it up.
Some seed fell on rocky ground, and when it grew,
it withered for lack of moisture.
Some seed fell among thorns,
and the thorns grew with it and choked it.
And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew,
it produced fruit a hundredfold.”
After saying this, he called out,
“Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”

Then his disciples asked him
what the meaning of this parable might be.
He answered,
“Knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God
has been granted to you;
but to the rest, they are made known through parables
so that they may look but not see, and hear but not understand.

“This is the meaning of the parable.
The seed is the word of God.
Those on the path are the ones who have heard,
but the Devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts
that they may not believe and be saved.
Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear,
receive the word with joy, but they have no root;
they believe only for a time and fall away in time of temptation.
As for the seed that fell among thorns,
they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along,
they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life,
and they fail to produce mature fruit.
But as for the seed that fell on rich soil,
they are the ones who, when they have heard the word,
embrace it with a generous and good heart,
and bear fruit through perseverance.”