The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate the nature of God, the role of love in our lives, and our hope in the Resurrection of our Body.
In the First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul presents an understanding of The Resurrection Body.
* [15:35–58] Paul imagines two objections that the Corinthians could raise: one concerning the manner of the resurrection (how?), the other pertaining to the qualities of the risen body (what kind?). These questions probably lie behind their denial of the resurrection (1 Cor 15:12), and seem to reflect the presumption that no kind of body other than the one we now possess would be possible. Paul deals with these objections in inverse order, in 1 Cor 15:36–49 and 1 Cor 15:50–58. His argument is fundamentally theological and its appeal is to the understanding.
* [15:35–49] Paul approaches the question of the nature of the risen body (what kind of body?) by means of two analogies: the seed (1 Cor 15:36–44) and the first man, Adam (1 Cor 15:45–49). (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 56 keeps the vow to give thanks for God’s gift of life.
* [Psalm 56] Beset physically (Ps 56:2–3) and psychologically (Ps 56:6–7), the psalmist maintains a firm confidence in God (Ps 56:5, 9–10). Nothing will prevent the psalmist from keeping the vow to give thanks for God’s gift of life (Ps 56:13). A refrain (Ps 56:5, 11–12) divides the Psalm in two equal parts. (Psalms, PSALM 56 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus presents The Parable of the Sower, The Purpose of the Parables and The Parable of the Sower Explained.
* [8:4–21] The focus in this section is on how one should hear the word of God and act on it. It includes the parable of the sower and its explanation (Lk 8:4–15), a collection of sayings on how one should act on the word that is heard (Lk 8:16–18), and the identification of the mother and brothers of Jesus as the ones who hear the word and act on it (Lk 8:19–21). See also notes on Mt 13:1–53 and Mk 4:1–34.
* [8:4–8] See note on Mt 13:3–8.
* [8:11–15] On the interpretation of the parable of the sower, see note on Mt 13:18–23. (Luke, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB, n.d.)
* [13:18–23] See Mk 4:14–20; Lk 8:11–15. In this explanation of the parable the emphasis is on the various types of soil on which the seed falls, i.e., on the dispositions with which the preaching of Jesus is received. The second and third types particularly are explained in such a way as to support the view held by many scholars that the explanation derives not from Jesus but from early Christian reflection upon apostasy from the faith that was the consequence of persecution and worldliness, respectively. Others, however, hold that the explanation may come basically from Jesus even though it was developed in the light of later Christian experience. The four types of persons envisaged are (1) those who never accept the word of the kingdom (Mt 13:19); (2) those who believe for a while but fall away because of persecution (Mt 13:20–21); (3) those who believe, but in whom the word is choked by worldly anxiety and the seduction of riches (Mt 13:22); (4) those who respond to the word and produce fruit abundantly (Mt 13:23). (Matthew, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB, n.d.)
Suzanne Braddock comments that we are asked to choose. This is the bottom line in the Parable of the Sower.
We are not born with one type of soil on which the Word of God - the seed - falls or is sown. We are not determined from birth to be one way or another. Who among us has not experienced periods of dryness, emotional or spiritual? Who among us has not been anxious, distracted by the worries and troubles of our lives? I would argue that during our lives we experience all of the different types of growing conditions described in Luke 8:4-15. We are trampled by the cruelty of others, we lack the moisture of familial love, even of the rain that does or doesn’t fall in these times. We can be choked by our own failures, or by the overwhelming perception of what our duties demand of us. We may lack deep roots, roots that can be fostered by faithful attendance at Mass and the sacrament of Reconciliation, fostered by deeds of kindness to others. Fostered by desiring a realization of the nearness of God and His faithful love. A God who reaches out His hand to us as He did with Peter sinking in the sea. I like to imagine Jesus lovingly reaching out His hand to me immediately when I am in need - which is pretty much all the time. (Braddock, 2026)
Don Schwager quotes “The Devil snatches good seed off the path,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).
"The seed is the Word of God. Those on the way are they who have heard. Afterwards, the devil comes and takes away the Word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. We see in a moment that the hardness of the ground causes the seed on the pathways to be snatched away. A pathway always is hard and untilled, because it is exposed to every one's feet. It does not admit any seed into it, but it lies rather upon the surface, ready for any birds that will to snatch it away. All whose minds are hard and unyielding, and so to speak, pressed together, do not receive the divine seed. The divine and sacred admonition does not find an entrance into them. They do not accept the words that would produce in them the fear of God and by means of which they could bring forth as fruits the glories of virtue. They have made themselves a beaten and trampled pathway for unclean demons, yes, for Satan himself, such as never can bear holy fruit. Let those who are awake, whose heart is sterile and unfruitful, open your mind, receive the sacred seed, be like productive and well-tilled soil, bring forth to God the fruits that will raise you to an incorruptible life."(excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 41) (Braddock, 2026)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the texts for today. In the First Letter to the Corinthians Paul addresses the nature of the Resurrected Body. What will our body look like? We really don’t know. There will be both continuity and discontinuity with our body now. The resurrected body is not bound by time and space, but as descendants of Adam we have a glorious body and in the New Heaven and New earth it is a resurrected body. In some ways, it is a foolish question. We really don’t know the answer. Friar Jude comments that the Parable of the Seed is an explanation of the Great Commandment. We honour God in our heart with the good soil of our intellect. Our soul honours God in times of persecution when the Devil tries to take it away. Honouring good with our strength refers to our possessions. The growth of our relationship with God grows a hundred fold, a yield that is much more than 4 or 5 times usual in Palestine. Friar Jude explains the apparent ambiguity in Jesus, comments on the failure to understand. Jesus teaching in parables is not that he doesn’t want understanding. He speaks in the simplest form so if they don’t understand they never will.
The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Corinthians 15 :35-37, 42-49 comments that Paul avoids speculating about what our resurrected bodies will look like. Instead, he uses an analogy from farming. “What you sow is not the body that is to be,” he says, “but a bare kernel” in comparison to what it will become (1 Corinthians 15:37).
This, Paul says, is how we should think about our resurrection. Our bodies, like seeds, are “corruptible,” but our risen bodies will be “incorruptible.” They will be “glorious.” And they will be “powerful.” We will have “spiritual” bodies—bodies so filled with the Holy Spirit that the temporary and limited natures of our earthly bodies will be overcome (1 Corinthians 15:42, 43, 44). “There shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
What will you look like in heaven? So magnificent that you can’t even imagine! But one thing is clear: you’ll finally see Jesus. And seeing him, you’ll be filled with joy!
“Jesus, I can’t wait to see you and to become glorious like you!” (Meditation on 1 Corinthians 15 :35-37, 42-49, n.d.)
Father Richard Rohr, OFM, invites us to pray with Paul who trusts in God’s love over any law.
When we have experienced our own weakness and, at the same time, been filled with the Spirit of Love, then we will know the truth of that beautiful Pauline prayer:
I bow my knees before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.
I pray that, according to the riches of God’s glory,
God may grant that you may be strengthened
in your inner being with power through the Spirit,
and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith,
as you are being rooted and grounded in love.
I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints,
what is the breadth
and length
and height
and depth,
and to know the love of Christ
that surpasses knowledge,
so that you may be filled
with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14–19). (Rohr, n.d.)
We invite the Spirit to enlighten our prayer about using our intellect, perseverance, and material possessions to share our faith, hope, and charity in our environment.
References
Braddock, S. (2026, September 19). Daily Reflection September 19, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved September 19, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-september-19-2026
Luke, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 19, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/8?
Matthew, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved September 19, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/13
Meditation on 1 Corinthians 15 :35-37, 42-49. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 19, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/09/19/1672351/
1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 19, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/15?
Psalms, PSALM 56 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 19, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/56?
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Paul’s Transforming Vision: Weekly Summary. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 19, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/pauls-transforming-vision-weekly-summary/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). He Who Has Ears to Hear, Let Him Hear. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 19, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/
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