grounds for what?
“For just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to him who sows and bread to him who eats, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but shall do My will, achieving the end for which I sent it.” —Isaiah 55:10-11
Farmers periodically take samples of their ground and have them tested. If your spiritual ground was tested now, would you be:
- an infertile footpath? (Mt 13:4)
- infertile rocky ground? (Mt 13:5)
- fertile but unfruitful ground overgrown with thorns? (Mt 13:7)
- fertile, fruitful ground bearing a 30-fold harvest? (Mt 13:8)
- fertile, fruitful ground bearing a 60-fold harvest? (Mt 13:8)
- fertile, fruitful ground bearing a 100-fold harvest? (Mt 13:8)
When a farmer finds from testing that his soil is deficient, he does not ignore this information but takes measures to improve the condition of his ground. This should also be true spiritually. If you are an infertile footpath or rocky ground, repent and go to Confession as soon as possible. If you are fertile but unfruitful, ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of your thorny compromise with the ways of the world (Jn 16:8). If you want to increase from a 30-fold harvest to 60-fold or 100-fold, you need community life and daily Bible study.
In good ground, you can grow almost anything worth growing. In bad ground, you can hardly grow anything. The condition of the ground is critical. Recognize the condition of your ground and improve it.
Prayer: Father, may every seed You plant in me grow fully.
Promise: “I consider the sufferings of the present to be as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed in us.” —Rm 8:18
Praise: Alleluia! Jesus is risen from the dead! Alleluia forever!
Reference:
Rescript: "In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from June 1, 2023, through July 31, 2023. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio December 14, 2022"
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.