“WALKING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD”

1 Cor.15: 35 -37, 42-49; Ps.56; Lk. 8:4 4 – 15

At first glance, there seems to be zero connection between the first reading and our gospel today. In the first reading, Paul preaches to the Corinthians about the resurrection of the body while in our gospel, Jesus tells and explains the parable of the sower and the seed. However, if we take a closer look on these two readings, we can find a common denominator. Both Paul and Jesus use the analogy of the transformation from a seed to a plant. In the first reading, Paul says, “What you sow is not the body that is to be but a bare kernel of wheat.” In our gospel, Jesus uses the image of seeds falling into different kinds of ground, and only those which fall on good soil, bear much fruit.

From a seed to a plant! This tells us a very important reality that life is a journey. Life is never a stagnant reality. It moves forward in time and space. And St. Paul in our first reading today beautifully qualifies what kind of journey these lives of ours are undertaking. It is a journey from corruption to incorruption, from weakness to power, from something natural to something spiritual. And in our Gospel, it is from becoming a simple seed to a plant that produces fruit a hundredfold. Simply said, this life is a journey from good to better, better to best, a journey towards excellence.

And how can we make this life journey something that leads towards excellence? The Psalmist in today’s Responsorial Psalm gives us the answer, “I will walk in the presence of God, in the light of the living.” Thus, we can only be excellent in any of our endeavors in the ministry if we are always “walking in the presence of the Lord.” Take away God in your endeavors, then any achievement can lead you to pride and any failure can lead you to desperation.

Hence, we ask ourselves, how can we “always walk in the presence of the Lord?” In the final letter to his family and friends, Saint Andrew Kim Taegon, the first native Korean priest, whose martyrdom we celebrate today, he begs them “not to fail in your love for another, but to support one another and to stand fast until the Lord mercifully delivers us from our trials.” Walking in the presence of the Lord, therefore, means persevering in love, perseverans in caritate! Only love can make us persevere despite the many worries and challenges this life has to offer to us. Because the person who has invited us in this journey is Love! And in heaven, which is the end of this journey, what remains is love!

Seminary formation is a journey. Priestly ministry is a journey. In these journeys, may we always walk in the presence of the Lord by persevering in love, by always staying in love, and by continuously falling in love with the God who has called us into to this journey and with others who are also journeying with us towards excellence, towards heaven! Amen!