XV DOMINGO DEL TIEMPO ORDINARIO 2026

Queridos hermanos y hermanas:

Las lecturas de este domingo nos recuerdan el poder de la Palabra de Dios y la importancia de abrir nuestro corazon para recibirla. Por lo tanto no basta solo con escuchar la palabra de Dios sino que hay que acogerla y brindarle las condiciones necesarias para que pueda crecer y dar frutos; en otras palabras, hay que ser terreno fertil.

En el Evangelio, Jestis nos presenta la parabola del sembrador. La semilla es la Palabra de Dios, y los diferentes tipos de terreno representan nuestro corazon. La semilla que cae junto al camino, entre las piedras o entre los espinos no logra dar fruto. En cambio, la que cae en tierra buena produce una cosecha abundante.

El mensaje es sencillo: la Palabra de Dios siempre es buena y él siempre esté sembrando buena semilla en nuestras vidas. La pregunta es: ¿qué clase de tierra soy yo?

A veces nuestro corazon se parece al camino, endurecido por el orgullo o la indiferencia. Otras veces es como el terreno pedregoso: recibimos la Palabra con alegria, pero cuando llegan las dificultades, nuestra fe se debilita. En otras ocasiones, las preocupaciones de la vida, el deseo de las riquezas 0 las distracciones del mundo son como espinos que ahogan la Palabra de Dios en nosotros.

Jestis nos invita a ser tierra buena, escuchando su Palabra, meditandola y poniéndola en practica. Cuando permitimos que la Palabra de Dios eche raices en nuestro corazon, ella nos transforma y produce frutos de amor, perdon, bondad, generosidad y paz. En la segunda lectura, san Pablo nos recuerda que toda la creacion espera la manifestacion de los hijos de Dios.

Como discipulos de Cristo, estamos llamados no solo a vivir una vida santa, sino también a cuidar la creacion que Dios nos ha confiado y a utilizar responsablemente los dones que El nos ha dado.

Mis queridos hermanos y hermanas a la luz de la palabra de Dios, preguntémonos: ¿Dedico tiempo a escuchar la Palabra de Dios? ¿Permito que transforme mi vida? ¿Qué frutos estoy produciendo en mi familia, en mi comunidad y en la Iglesia?

Pidamos al Senor que ablande nuestro corazon y lo convierta en tierra buena, para que su Palabra dé mucho fruto en nuestra vida. Amén.

P. Luis Segura M.S.C

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FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 2026

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today's readings remind us of the power of God's Word and the importance of opening our hearts to receive it. Therefore, it is not enough simply to hear the Word of God; we must welcome it and provide the conditions it needs to grow and bear fruit. In other words, we must become fertile soil.

In the Gospel, Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower. The seed is the Word of God, and the different kinds of soil represent our hearts. The seed that falls on the path, the rocky ground, and among the thorns cannot bear fruit. But the seed that falls on good soil produces an abundant harvest.

The message is simple: God's Word is always good and he is always planting good seed in our lives. The question is, what kind of soil am I?

Sometimes our hearts become like the path—closed by pride or indifference. Sometimes they are like rocky ground – we receive God's Word with joy, but we give up when difficulties come. At other times, the worries of life, the desire for wealth, or worldly distractions become thorns that choke our faith.

Jesus invites us to become good soil by listening to His Word, reflecting on it, and putting it into practice. When we allow God's Word to take root in our lives, it transforms us and helps us bear the fruits of love, forgiveness, kindness, generosity, and peace.

In the second reading, St. Paul reminds us that all creation is waiting for the children of God to be revealed. As followers of Christ, we are called not only to live holy lives but also to care for God's creation and use His gifts responsibly.

My dear brothers and sister let us ask ourselves: Do I take time to listen to God's Word? What kind of soil am 1? Do I allow the word of God to change my life? What kind of fruit am I producing for my family, my community, and the Church?

May the Lord soften our hearts and make us good soil, so that His Word may bear abundant fruit in our lives.

Amen.

Rev. Luis Segura M.S.C.

15th Sunday – Cycle A 2026

My friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower.  In Matthew’s Gospel, there are many parables and Jesus uses imagery to bring the story to life.  Today, Jesus uses the Sower, seeds, soil, thorns, rocks, footpaths. 

First and foremost, the Sower is God.  The seed is the Word of God.  The Word of God is meant for everyone.  No one is excluded.  The soil is the hearer of the Word.   

Fr. Richard Rohr said this about the Parable of the Sower:  “The story is not about human failure or judging who is "good" or "bad". Instead, it is a story about God's reckless, unconditional grace. God wildly throws the seed of Divine love everywhere – even onto paths, rocks, and thorns.”

Today’s parable was aimed at two sets of people:

• The Preacher of the Word of God.

• And the Hearer of the Word of God.

The Preacher of the Word:  That's all of us, my friends, not just the homilist at Mass or the speaker at a religious conference.  We all preach in one way or another by what we say and what we do.

Just prior to today's gospel in Matthew 12, Jesus had yet  another run-in with the Scribes and Pharisees who only preached their rigid Law and never a word of love.  Jesus had just cured a demoniac man who was both blind and mute.  The Scribes and Pharisees said that Jesus must be from Satan for Him to drive out a demon.  Jesus said to them:

"You brood of vipers !  How can a person say good things when they are evil?  From the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks.”

The best way for preachers to preach is to preach as Jesus did:  With words of love for God – and love for one another.

The second set of people are the Hearers of the Word:  Jesus went into great detail about those who hear the Word.  The Word of God is always good but the fate of any spoken word depends on those who are listening.  You can have the most eloquent speaker in the world but if the hearer is staring blankly out a window, daydreaming, the speaker might as well have stayed home.  

So, who are the hearers described in today's parable ?

• The hearer with a closed mind.  The Word of God has no more chance of taking root than the seed has of coming alive on a footpath.  At first, there may be some joy in hearing the Word but before long, the person with the closed mind reverts back to the old self, unchanged.  A closed mind is usually because the hearer doesn’t care for the preacher or has preconceived notions.  There are none so deaf as those who deliberately will not hear.  As Jesus said, “Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

• The hearer with a mind like rocky ground, with little soil is a person hears the Word of God and is filled with Joy and begins to follow the Word of God but doesn't see the commitment it takes to follow the way of Jesus.  The worldly lure of possessions and power takes over.  They lay aside the Word of God and get on with their old self.

• Then, there is the hearer with a mind that is like soil which is seeded among thorns. Before long, the thorns grow up and choke the Good Word. 

• Finally, there is the person who has an open mind like rich soil.  His or her reception of the Word takes hold because they listen attentively to the Word, regardless of the person preaching the Word.  Also, they are never to proud to learn something new about the Word, which could enrich their life.

My friends, it is the person who has an open mind like rich soil who transforms the Word into action and produces the good fruit of the Kingdom of God. 

May all of us be rich soil to receive the Word of God, comprehend its message, and be preachers of the Good News.