19 November 2026 · Syro-Malabar Rite
Open in the Daily Word appAlso: Latin Rite · Syro-Malankara Rite · മലയാളം
“But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit.” Matthew 13:23
Paul thanks God that the Gospel “is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world,” and prays that the Colossians may “lead lives worthy of the Lord… bearing fruit in every good work.” The Church is God's field.
Jesus explains the sower: the same seed falls on the path, rocky ground, thorns and good soil. The difference lies in the hearing. “Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.” Good soil is a heart that hears, understands and keeps the word, and so bears fruit thirty, sixty and a hundredfold.
Theme: “Good soil.”
The Gospel grows in the world; the sower's seed bears fruit in hearts that hear.
“So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose.” Isaiah 55:11
“But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.” Matthew 13:16
Apply: Thank God for those who sowed the word in you.
“Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep looking, but do not understand.” Isaiah 6:9
“As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing.” Matthew 13:22
Apply: Name one worry and give it to God.
“They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season.” Psalm 1:3
“But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” Matthew 13:23
Apply: Read tomorrow's Gospel tonight.
The seed is good; let the soil be good.
Blessed are the ears that hear.
Take-home resolution: Give ten minutes to the word of God every day this week.
Dear friends, Paul thanks God that the Gospel is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, and prays that the Colossians may lead lives worthy of the Lord, bearing fruit in every good work (Colossians 1:6, 10). The Church is God's field.
Jesus explains the parable of the sower: the same seed falls on the path, on rocky ground, among thorns and on good soil. The one who hears the word and understands it bears fruit, a hundredfold, sixtyfold, thirtyfold (Matthew 13:18–23). The difference is not in the seed but in the soil.
What kind of soil is my heart today? A path trodden hard by hurry, shallow rock, or thorns of worry? Let us pull out one thorn this week: one hour less on the phone, one hour more with the Word. Amen.
Children, God's word is like a seed. Listen carefully so you can be good soil! Tell your family one word you heard in church today.
Lord, sow your word in my heart. Break up its hardness, deepen its soil, pull out the thorns, and make it bear fruit in every good work. Amen.
Fruit is the word of the day. Paul thanks God that the Gospel is “bearing fruit and growing” among the Colossians and prays that they may “bear fruit in every good work”. In the Gospel Jesus explains why he speaks in parables and interprets the parable of the sower: the seed is the same, the soil makes the difference. The seed bears fruit in the one who hears the word and understands it.
Setting.
Colossae was a small town in the Lycus valley in Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Paul had not founded this Church himself; it was founded by Epaphras, his co-worker (1:7). Paul writes from prison, to strengthen the Colossians against teachings that were drawing them away from Christ's supremacy. The letter begins, as usual, with thanksgiving and prayer.
Structure.
Key words.
Verse by verse.
“Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God.” (1:6)
“so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.” (1:10)
Knowledge and good works grow together. Knowing God leads to good works, and doing good leads to knowing God better.
How the Church reads it.
The Catechism teaches that faith, hope and charity are the foundation of Christian moral life, infused by God to make us capable of acting as his children (CCC 1812–1813). Paul's prayer for the Colossians is a model of intercession: he thanks God first, then asks for wisdom and perseverance for others (CCC 2634–2638, in substance).
Setting.
Matthew 13 is the third of the five great discourses in Matthew's Gospel, a chapter of seven parables of the Kingdom. Jesus has just told the parable of the sower to the crowds from a boat (13:1–9). Now the disciples ask why he teaches this way. Opposition to Jesus has grown (ch. 11–12), and the parables both reveal and conceal: they open the Kingdom to those who are willing to come close and ask.
Structure.
Key words.
Verse by verse.
“But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.” (13:16)
The disciples are not cleverer than others; they are blessed because they stay with Jesus and ask him.
“But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” (13:23)
Even the good soil gives different harvests. God does not ask the same yield from everyone, but he asks for fruit.
How the Church reads it.
A note on the text. Mark says Jesus speaks in parables “in order that” they may look but not perceive (Mark 4:12); Matthew says “because” they do not perceive (13:13). Matthew stresses the people's own closed hearts. The Catechism says that the parables are like mirrors: will a person be hard soil or good earth? Through them Jesus invites people to the feast of the Kingdom, but he also asks for a radical choice (CCC 546).
Does Jesus speak in parables to keep people out?
No. Parables call for a response. Those who come close and ask, like the disciples, receive the explanation. The closed heart, not God's wish, keeps a person outside (Matthew 13:15; 1 Timothy 2:4).