A sermon on Matthew 13:1-23

By Fr. Mike Paraniuk
HCP columnist

St. Thomas Aquinas was a great theologian who studied God. He wrote the words to his books called the "Summa Theologica," a collection of all the teachings of the Catholic faith. It was used to teach seminarians studying for priesthood for over 400 years. 

Thomas never finished this monumental work. Near the end of his life, he had a vision of God while saying Mass. He saw Jesus in all His glory, an experience so powerful that he stopped writing altogether. His assistants urged him to keep writing, but St. Thomas said, “I can write no more. All that I have written seems to me like straw compared with what I have seen.” 

Instead of writing words about Jesus, he got to know Jesus as He really is.

Jesus invites you to know Him. The seed is the word of Jesus about His Kingdom. What is Jesus saying? Jesus wants to put His Grace into your soul. Grace is God's Love in action. 

Jesus wants you to receive Him and allow Him to Love you. That is the Good News of His Kingdom. When you allow Jesus to love you, He will give you the best blessings of His Kingdom – a peace worldly things cannot give, the promise of eternal life, and the joy of hope knowing Jesus hears you in your time of need.  

These are gifts God gives you when you open your heart to receive His Love. None of us are worthy of these gifts, but don't worry. Jesus forgives all your sins too. God says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16.)

There is something you must do to receive this gift of God's Kingdom. You must really want it. You must have faith that it is real because the word of Jesus is true. The Kingdom flourishes in the good soil of a soul that believes. Jesus says your faith must be childlike. 

"Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them." (Mark 10:15-16.) 

Like a child who is completely dependent on its parents for life itself, so you must place yourself completely into the hands of Jesus. Hold nothing back. Then that seed will sink roots so deeply in your soul that you will be able to persevere in the face of any difficulty life throws at you. God can transform your difficulties into His Grace that showers the seed with the waters of His Love.

There was a teenage boy who decided to study judo. This was unusual because he lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. He wondered why after months of training the sensei only taught him one move.

“Sensei,” the boy finally said, “Shouldn’t I be learning more moves?” 

“This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you’ll ever need to know,” the sensei replied. 

When the sensei took his student to his first tournament, he easily won the first two matches. His opponents became impatient and charged but the teenager skillfully used his one move to win.

He was amazed by his success. The teenage judo wonder was now in the finals. This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. He appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that he might get hurt, the referee was about to stop the match when the sensei intervened. 

“No,” the sensei insisted, “Let him continue.”

The match was on. For a while neither had the advantage. But his opponent made a critical mistake. He dropped his guard. Instantly, the one-armed teenager used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion.

On the way home, the victorious student and the sensei master reviewed his moves in every match. The teenager asked, “Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?”

“You won for two reasons,” the sensei answered. “First, you’ve mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. Second, the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm.” 

The boy’s biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.

Ephesians 3:17 says, "Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong." 

Fr. Mike Paraniuk is a Priest Chaplain at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. His sermons can be heard live over WLRU Radio 106.9 FM on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.