A Moment To Pause: Sunday 12th July 2026

You are most welcome to join our reflection today with Pat Hughes from Birkenhead. Good morning and welcome to our Oblate moment to pause . Today, Sunday 12thJuly , our Gospel reading is Matthew 13:1-23 : the Parable of the Sower. The parable of the sower is an image used by Jesus to explain how different people respond to the Word of God. A few days ago I mentioned that the outcome when sharing the Good News is not the responsibility of the sharer. This parable confirms  that the true harvest depends on the condition of our own spiritual soil. As I grow older I recognise that my soil changes along my journey in life with its ups and downs, and that with repeated ‘tilling’ of my soil, by searching and persevering in prayer, God’s good news sinks in and takes root . So, for me, I alone , am responsible for the tilling and composting of my soil . So if you do not take the Word to heart, or hear it but have no root and the Word falls away through trouble or persecution, or choked out by worldly issues, then there is no harvest .  But , if heard and taken to heart, then there will be a good harvest from your good soil. Lord I ask that we all enjoy and persevere with the gardening of our ears , heart and mind . Have a blessed Sunday and thank you for sharing with the Oblates  And thank you for joining in this moment to pause .