On the fourth Sunday of Luke and the commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council (commemorated on the Sunday between October 11-17 in the Antiochian Patriarchate), Fr. Matthew Howell preaches about the parable of the Sower and the Seed. He starts by contrasting sequoia trees to table-top bonsai trees, points out that in order to grow strong in the Christian Faith like sequoia trees, we must have strong, deep roots that soak up nutrients from God. He posits that without personal prayer, corporate worship, and wisdom from regular Scripture reading, our root system will grow weak. He adds that holy confession is similar to tilling the soil of the heart and giving roots room to grow. Along the way, he incorporates St. Paul's list of fruits of the Spirit from Galatians and ties together the epistle reading for the day with today's gospel reading.

Previous Homilies for this Sunday: 

• October 13, 2024 - Icons Affirm the Incarnation of Christ
• October 15, 2023 - Cultivating the Soil of the Heart
• October 16, 2022 - The Icons are the Gospel Message
• October 17, 2021 - Forming Thin Hearts by Loving the Saints and Using Icons

Epistle: Titus 3:8-15

Titus, my son, the saying is sure. I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are excellent and profitable to men. But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels over the law, for they are unprofitable and futile. As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned. When I send Artemas or Tychicos to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. And let our people learn to apply themselves to good deeds, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not to be unfruitful. All who are with me send greeting to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

Gospel: Luke 8:5-15

The Lord said this parable: "A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold." And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience." As he said these things, he cried out "He who has ears to hear, let him hear.