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Are You Planted in Good Soil
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September 14, 2022Recently my sister and I were out to complete some errands. As I was driving, my sister pointed out all the weeds growing out from under the Jersey barriers used to serve as medians. She noted how ugly they were how they were ruining the scenery…lots of weeds, tall weeds, short weeds... she wondered why the cities and towns didn’t clean them up with all the tax monies collected from us.
I, on the other hand thought, “Hmmm, makes me wonder how these weeds grow. There seems to be very little to no dirt, yet they just push their way through… through cement and concrete. Why don’t we see beautiful flowers growing along the roads?” In fact, I noticed a manhole with a cover with weeds growing through around the rim!
Then I thought “That’s how it is with the “the world”. There’s so much ‘stuff’ being broadcast, written, verbally and visually…most of it bad. This leads to the growth of more bad stuff, weeds if you will, so much so that there seems to be no room for the “flowers”—good things! Why is that?
Why? Because the flowers are not being planted! The good stuff, the positive things, are not being broadcasted! We as Christians must be aware of this. Christian principles, especially Catholic teachings, are being attacked! Abortion ‘rights’ are about to be codified in federal law, along with so called gay “marriage”. Parents, doctors and health care workers are being threatened with lawsuits if they refuse to allow or perform or undergo sex-change surgery for children. Parents are being vilified if they refuse or complain to have their children taught about sex or Critical Race Theory in schools. And Faith-based schools and institutions are being sued for not allowing or employing teachers and workers who do not agree with their faith.
Pope Benedict XVI stated that we are facing a critical moment. “We are facing a profound crisis of faith, a loss of religious sense which represents one of the greatest challenges for the Church today. The renewal of faith must, then, be a priority for the entire Church of our time.”
So, what are we to do? You and I? How do we limit, and hopefully stop the weeds from growing and choking the flowers? How do we weed-out this garden that our God gave us? How do we plant the good seed and make the garden brighter and make it flourish with beautiful flowers and fruits so that those who come after us can enjoy and be nourished by the GOOD stuff, the TRUTH, God’s Truth!?
Part of the following paraphrased exhortation I came across, tells us what to do….
You are a seed, But if you plant yourself in unhealthy soil, if you hang around friends who compromise and pull you down, how will you ever accomplish your dreams? You won’t see the growth you should. It’s not because there’s something wrong with you—you are made in the image of God. The problem is with the soil. The thorns, the weeds, and the rocks are choking the life out of you—your dreams, your vision, and your character.”
1 Corinthians: 15:33: “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.”
The point is: we have to be selective — discerning — when it comes to who we should journey with, who and what we give our time and energy to — who we plant our “selves” with. You don’t want to be yoked with those who sap your stamina, your optimism, your sense of well-being, or who divert you from what is good. “For thus says the Lord…’Break up your fallow, neglected ground. And do not sow among thorns'” (Jeremiah 4:3-4).
Ask yourself where your self-image is formed: in God or in the eyes of others.
Now, there are some people we have to be around; in these cases, we offer up what we must; we endure for the sake of love. But, we do not allow others to crush us — to shove us into darkness.
Remove the hardness. Remove what is infertile. Remove what detracts from your kindness. Go where the Son rises. Remove the gravel and pebbles and stones and rocks — perhaps boulders — of bitterness, arrogance, jealousy, resentment and fear. The richest soil is at the foot of the Cross.
“If your friends are prejudiced, you’re going to become prejudiced. If they have no goals and little motivation, that narrow-minded thinking is going to contaminate you. You will become like the people with whom you associate. It’s time to pull up the weeds and thorns that are causing you to shrivel up. Be nice to everyone, but don’t spend time with negative, critical, jealous, small-minded, bitter people.
“God has given you a gift that will flourish and grow in good soil. You have greatness in you, you can set a new standard for your family, you can break generational curses, you could impact this world for the good. What God has entrusted you with is extremely valuable.
“Do your part and keep your seed… in good soil.”
Faith is the fertilizer.”
My friends, we plant flowers by uprooting the weeds and replacing them with what is good and right and holy! Keeping awake and on guard against the bad and the ugly; by being open to and receiving God’s light and food and nourishment through the sacraments! By always growing in our faith and planting ourselves in ‘GOOD SOIL’! We belong to the Church Militant; and she is militant because on earth the powers of darkness are ever restless to encompass her destruction.” -Venerable Pius XII.
“Draw your strength from the Lord and his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. Our battle is not against human forces but against the principalities and powers, the rulers of this world of darkness, the evil spirits in regions above. You must put on the armor of God if you are to resist on the evil day; do all that your duty requires, and hold your ground” (Eph 6:10-12)
And then flowers and Good will grow and beauty will replace what is bad and ugly!