Homily: August 10, 2022, Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr

 “The Father will honor whoever serves me”.

I have shared before, that I was the favorite grandchild of my paternal grandfather. He had 10 children and 50 grandchildren. Among all, he loved me the most because he believed I have a perfect green thumb. He was a man who valued planting and farming. Whenever he got a seed or seedling, he would ask me to plant it for him. He believed that whatever I sowed, would reap abundant fruits. And grandpa would bless me specially, even on his last days, he gave only me his final blessings.

I never thought much about the simple farming life but had dreamed about being a rich and successful farmer. Although that dream did not come true, I have never stopped planting and gardening.

Both the first reading and gospel passage today are about planting: seeds, sowing, reaping, harvesting and producing fruit. During the time of Jesus, one of the major occupations of people were farming. Many of us here are from farming families too. To till the land is a blessing.

The seed is created by God, none is man-made. When we plant from seeds, we are serving God’s creative plans for the world, we are nurturing the production of new life. Planting and sowing model the dying of Jesus, like a grain of wheat dying to produce much more fruit, an abundant multiplication of itself.

“Whoever serves me must follow me,” Jesus said.

Whatever occupation, profession or engagement we are in, we follow Jesus in his dying and giving glory to God in everything. Whichever ground we fall onto, may we die to ourselves and let God’s grace multiple through us. We serve Jesus by serving others whom God has placed in our paths, in our lives, no matter how difficult or how different they are from us. And the Father will honor us. Amen.

Fr. Nivin Scaria

Rector

St. Ambrose cathedral. 

Des Moines, IA, USA 

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