July 13, 2026

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Homily notes from the 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

“Parable of the Sower”

 

-Jesus is the sower and the seed is His Word.

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-And The Word of God (His teachings given to His Bride, the Church) should inform how we see Life / Our World / Culture / The Human Person / Family / Marriage / Politics, etc.

 

In fact “The Word” has made positive contributions to law, government, medicine, morals, art, literature, philosophy, and science throughout human history.

 

-In the beginning: The Word spoke all things into existence / From non-being to being / Think Big Bang / The Word (Jesus Christ - God) spoke creation and the universe into existence / Which leads me back to Science.

 

-How can science (which observes, measures, and records the properties and movements of creation) exist / If creation is random with no fixed laws, consistency and/or intelligibility, and no fixed movement toward an end or completion / The universe (creation) has to be intelligible with universal laws and consistent data moving towards an end that can be measured.

-Science points us back to the Word of God.

 

The Word of God tells us today in our 2nd Reading:

“We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now…we also groan within ourselves.” For completion.

 

-We all anticipate and desire this final work of God.

We are ALL wired to one-day know ourselves and be completed.

Words matter and have meaning.

 

***An important distinction between God and us.

***When God speaks / God is not merely describing things around Him / He has created the things around Him / “Non-being” comes into “being” / Everything He creates has a telos (end) / purpose and completion / We can know “a thing” by its nature, and what it was created for and its purpose / (This is part of the Natural Law Tradition): by reason we can come to know the natural order of things and their purpose in creation / (Adam named the animals according to their God-given nature and purpose) / Cats and dogs have a nature / We have a human nature.

 

***When we speak / We are describing the things around us / Many times today we speak and our words don’t match reality (The purpose and telos of a thing created by God) / When our words match the true nature and purpose of each creature / we find truth / So lets be like Adam when we describe and observe ourselves and creation / Unlike God we can only describe creation when we speak / Not recreate it.

 

-When we know God’s Word / He can actually change us / Why / Because we desire completion of our true self / To know our true nature, purpose, and end:

(To know, love, and serve God - To one day live with God forever) / This is our ultimate end (telos).

 

Many times Jesus doesn’t explain His parables / Today He does.

1.The seed sown on the path is the one that Hears the word without understanding it: The path is the world.

 

-The world today: We learn about the sciences, physics, math, sociology, economics, governance / But when we ignore the Word (Jesus) / We will Lack understanding of the true nature of the world, creation, ourselves.

 

-Do we ignore the Natural Law / Or do we Define ourselves according to reality created by Jesus’ spoken Word?

 

2.The seed planted on Rocky Ground hear the Word and receive with joy, but has no root - last a time and then fades away: The Spiritual Masters remind us

-What happens when we lose our initial excitement and zeal? / (We are merely going through the motions during persecution & trials) / We are called to persevere, renew and cultivate the seed sown / Prayer, Fasting Almsgiving, Chapel time, Confession, Mass, Eucharistic Adoration etc. / Renew our Joy.

 

3.The seed sown among thorns: We hear the Word but then worldly anxiety, riches, and or, material worldly concerns & Confusion may choke the Word / Get distracted by the world / What things do we focus our minds and hearts on the most? / What things have choked our faith and draw us away from God’s Word and purpose? / Jesus wants to transform us.

(Focus not on the material things and world passing away, but on the eternal things leading us to authentic love and a Heavenly Union with no end).

 

4.The seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the Word and understands the Word: We bear fruit / We let the Word change us / We water and cultivate the Word / Mass, Sacraments, Adoration, Devotionals, Online Catholic resources, Catholic Radio, Sunday Catechesis, Our School, Youth and Church groups.

 

-When we cooperate with the Word (Jesus and His Teachings):

We will treat Creation, ourselves, and the other with the dignity and respect that is deserved and according to our natural end as we and creation are moving towards our telos: our completion, perfection and our end - union with God.

 

Vivat Jesus

Father Vic Gournas

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