During this time for grandparentsa and the elderly pray the Prayer of St Francis for grandparents and the elderly.  We pray for God’s blessing on the grandparents and elderly of our families and community,  bless them with peace and contentment and an acceptance that their lives were well spent in your service. We ask St Joachim and St Anne, the grandparents of Jesus, to pray with us.

July 12. SEE.  Sunday 15A.  Fr Vusi had grown up on a farm in a rural area so he shared how he loved the parable of the sower. “One year, it may have been our confirmation year, we boys actually did what the parable said, we threw some seed along the road, some next to the road on rocky ground, some amongst the thorns and some in the ploughed field where it was meant to grow.  For many months we used to go and check what was happening.  It was quite sad to see how some of the little plants just shrivelled and died and we couldn’t even give them any water, because that would have been spoiling the story. You see in this story no plants were given any human help from us, the seed was left to do its own thing. Have you ever thought of that?” 

JUDGE. Reflect, share, act. Scripture:   Read Matthew 13:1-23.   Jesus told the parable, ”A sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed some seeds fell along the path…………  Pope Francis.   The gospel of the family also nourishes seeds that are still waiting to grow and serves as the basis for caring for those plants that are wilting and must not be neglected.  Anyone who wants to bring into this world a family which teaches children to be excited by every gesture aimed at overcoming evil – a family which shows that the Spirit is alive and well, will encounter our gratitude and our appreciation, whatever the people, religion or region to which they belong. AL 77 Pope Leo: “Among the numerous implications of the common good, immediate significance is taken on by the principle of the universal destination of goods, First of all, this principle reminds us that the earth’s goods — soil, water, air and natural resources— are given by God to the entire human family to sustain the lives of all, and that every person has an inherent right to the use of such goods, both now and in the future. MH 65

ACT AND PRAY. How serious are we about the rights of the earth in Our World a Family of Families?   Pray for guidance and peace with creation.