Lord, help me see myself as you see me.

The second scenario in the Parable of the Sower is the seed “fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away.” (Matthew 13:5-6)

Jesus explains that these are people who “hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.” (Matthew 13:20-21)

Very often we receive God's Word with joy, for His Word is full of wisdom and goodness. We gladly welcome God and our lives begin to change. But joy and curiosity might not be enough for God's Word to take root in a sustainable manner, for our hearts can be like a rocky ground that lacks good soil and depth.

In an Angelus address, Pope Francis calls such a heart a “superficial heart: it welcomes the Lord, wants to pray, love and bear witness, but does not persevere; it becomes tired and never “takes off”. It is a heart without depth, where the rocks of laziness prevail over the good soil, where love is fickle and fleeting. But whoever welcomes the Lord only when they want to does not bear fruit.”

In what way is my heart superficial and shallow? “Lord, I want to see.” (Luke 18:41)