Msgr. Roger J. Landry
National Director, The Pontifical Mission Societies
Daily Reflection for July, 24, 2026
Here is the video of today’s reflection.
The YouTube generated transcript for today’s reflection is:
I’m Monsignor Roger Landry, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States. It is July 24th, Friday, the feast of the great Maronite Lebanese saint, Saint Charbel Maklouf, a great 19th century miracle worker who continues to work many miracles still today. I’m coming to you from Saint Mary of the Lake Seminary, Mundelein Seminary in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Today’s gospel, Jesus explains the parable of the sower and the seed. We would have heard this at Sunday Mass recently. We would have likewise heard it on Wednesday this week if we didn’t have the proper reading for the feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, but it’s very important as we hear Jesus’ explanation of this parable that we enter into the scene and engage, as we were talking about yesterday, with the images Jesus uses to see what soil sample are we, as well as when we go out as missionary to try to proclaim the gospel to others, what soil sample are they using to receive the seed of the word of God that we’re trying to sow. Jesus first talks about hardened soil by the wayside. This refers to all those who are stubborn, those who won’t receive the word of God. In my pastoral experience, this has really been two types of people. First, and kind of obviously, inveterate sinners. They don’t want to change even if Jesus himself were to speak to them. They are hardened in their ways, often hardened by choosing against God and sin. But the second group of people is often daily Mass goers who don’t have good homilies every day. That sometimes they’ve heard the word of God so many times that it can no longer change them. Sometimes this happens with our beloved senior citizens in the church. They can say something stupid like, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Well, yes, you can. Jesus calls us all to conversion as long as we’re still alive, we’re still meant to become childlike and to become to convert and become more and more childlike so that we can enter into the kingdom of heaven. And so we’ve got to beware of that type of stubbornness to the gospel. Second type of soil sample Jesus says is rocky. What he meant by this is underneath the topsoil, there was a thick layer of limestone in many parts of the Holy Land such that the roots would immediately sort of go to the first three to five inches, absorb the water, absorb the nutrients, grow up very fast, but then get scorched by the noonday sun in the Middle East because it didn’t have deep roots. And so those are the superficial. Those are the ones who kind of listen to see whether they like what’s being said or not rather than what it’s whether it’s true. This happens a lot in the proclamation of the gospel. People will say even at the first generation of apostles, I like Paul, I like Cephas, I like Apollos rather than just follow Jesus. Or we can say I like this pope or I like that priest or I like that preacher or I like that type of music and we start to make important decisions in faith based on just those preferences. That’s shallow rocky soil. Third is thorny soil. It’s worldly cares and anxieties, the lure of riches and daily preoccupations. If we’re not really focused on God, we’re not going to give great fruit. If we’re concerned about a loved one’s surgery or about making money or about who’s going to win uh earthly championship, we’re not going to pay attention. We’ve got to remove the thorns from our soil so that it can grow. And the last is good and fruitful soil that changes us 30, 60, or 100 ways. When we really heed the word of God and let it take on our own humanity. When we remember it and try to apply it to all our choices. That’s the type of soil God wants to have. That’s the type of soil these men are being formed in. This is the type of soil that missionaries hope to meet. God bless you.
The Gospel reading on which the reflection was based on:
Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Hear the parable of the sower.
The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the Kingdom
without understanding it,
and the Evil One comes and steals away
what was sown in his heart.
The seed sown on rocky ground
is the 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.
The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word,
but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word
and it bears no fruit.
But the seed sown on rich soil
is the one who hears the word and understands it,
who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”