Here we invite you to take time for yourself in personal prayer. The following spiritual reflection offers words and images which we hope will evoke for you an experience of God.

By: Sister Karen Dietz

Opening Prayer

May the Word of God fall on good ground in our hearts and bear much fruit, through Jesus the sower. Amen.

Scripture

Matthew 13: 1 - 9

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea.
Such large crowds gathered around him
that he got into a boat and sat down,
and the whole crowd stood along the shore.
And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:
"A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,
and when the sun rose it was scorched,
and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.
But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Whoever has ears ought to hear."

Reflection

In these warmer days I take my morning prayer time on our small front porch. Last year we had a planter filled with these rich purple petunias, called “purple wave.” They were lush and produced blossoms into the early Fall. This year we have not planted any flowers in that planter and yet, to my great surprise and delight, a few hardy purple petunias have sprung up.

The seed of God’s Word is a little like these petunias, lovely enough to bring light and beauty into the world and strong enough to withstand even the harshest of winters. Clearly, in preparing the soil and caring for the flowers last year, we created an environment that fostered this stubborn flower, allowing it to bloom once again. The same needs to be true for our hearts and souls. I ask myself if I have created a welcoming space within me that would allow the Word of God to take root and grow and blossom, producing fruit day after day.

In these Summer months when many of us take a little extra time for refreshment and renewal, I ask us to remember that not only do we need to refresh our bodies, but our hearts and souls as well. We can do this by taking advantage of the many spiritual articles, books, and podcasts available. Or perhaps it is by adding some intentional prayer time to our week. For others of us, time away for quiet and even a retreat fits the bill. However you do it, I invite you to tend your soul so that you might have rich soil in which the seed of God’s Word might be planted. Who knows, maybe you too will be surprised by petunias (or some other flower or fruit of the Spirit) in the seasons to come.

Closing Prayer

Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. May God’s Spirit continue to enrich us with every grace and blessing. Amen.

Welcoming the Holy