Last year, when our Holy Father was on the airplane heading towards World Youth Day in
Madrid, he received a series of questions from Father Lombardi, and one of them was
this, the World Youth Days are a beautiful interlude and give rise to great enthusiasm,
but the young people then go home and find a world in which religious practice is rapidly
diminishing. Many of them will probably not be seen again in church. How can the fruits of the
World Youth Days be ensured in the future? Do you think the days effectively produce fruits that
last longer than the momentary bursts of enthusiasm? And our Holy Father responds,
citing the gospel,
which we read today, the parable of the sower. And our Holy Father says,
and the seed the Lord scatters on the ground with the World Youth Days is like the seed of
which he speaks in the gospel. Some seeds fall along the path and were lost. Some fell on rocky
ground and were lost. Some fell upon thorns and were lost. But other seeds fell on good soil
and brought forth good fruit. And our Holy Father says,
and the seed of the Lord shone forth abundant fruit. It is exactly like this with the sowing
of the World Youth Days. A great deal is lost, and this is human. You see our Holy Father's
realistic assessment of World Youth Day. A great deal is lost, and he says, and this is human.
Now, why is it human that a great deal is lost, and this is human?
great deal is lost. Well, the parable of the sower explains three reasons for which seed is lost.
One reason is the devil, another the horror of suffering, and another the attraction of pleasure.
And so it is human because our human nature is weak. Our human nature is weaker than the devil.
Per se. And without assiduous prayer, one will not overcome the wiles of the devil.
And so this is human, that the devil is able to carry away the seed sown in one's heart,
in one's heart who does not pray. It is also human, okay, we'll look at the second example,
one who hears the word of God.
One who hears the word and receives it at once with joy, but he has no root and lasts only for a time.
When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away.
And it is very human to have a horror of suffering. And so that's the explanation
of the second reason. No root lasts only for a time.
Hears the word with joy is very human. And so that's the explanation of the second reason.
He is very content to rejoice with Christ and to share in his consolation,
but does not want to persevere with Christ on the way to Calvary.
Now, the third reason, the seed was sown among thorns, okay, this refers to
worldly anxiety and the lure of riches which choke the word and it bears no fruit.
And again, this is human, human weakness, to be all wrapped up with worldly concerns
and to be attracted by the riches and pleasures of the world.
However, there is that good seed which does exist. The good seed is the good, or rather the good ground,
that which is sown on the good ground. The good ground is the faithful conscience of the elect,
or the spirit of the saints, which receives the word of God with joy and desire and devotion of
heart, okay, with joy immediately received with desire, that is perseverance, and devotion of
heart, spirit of prayer to protect oneself from the devil.
And manfully retains it amid prosperous and also adverse circumstances.
Okay, this is the good ground. So, we can all examine ourselves.
Is my soul composed of this good ground that has desire and devotion of heart,
that manfully retains it in good or adverse circumstances?
And this seed produces 30, 60, or a hundredfold because of the good ground, in proportion to
the generosity and the charity of that particular soul. Here, we see the different degree of
sanctity among the saints, the different degree of glory that they will give to God because of their
virtuous life, 30, 60, or a hundredfold, each according to his generosity and the degree of
his charity. And so let's ask our Lady to make good ground of our souls that we may produce
and bear fruit, fruit which lasts for the glory of God. In the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Fruitum ventris tui.