First Reading

Reading from the first letter of the Apostle Saint Paul to the Corinthians

1 Corinthians 15, 35-37. 42-49

Brothers and sisters: Some people ask, “How do the dead rise? What kind of body will they have?” They have not stopped to think that the grain that is sown must die in order for the plant to be born. What is sown is not the plant that will sprout, but only the seed, for example, of wheat or of anything else.

The same happens in the resurrection of the dead: a corruptible body is sown and an incorruptible one rises; a miserable body is sown and a glorious one rises; the weak is sown and the strong rises; a purely human body is sown and a body vivified by the divine spirit rises.

For if there is a purely human body, there is also a body vivified by the spirit. In fact, Scripture says that the first man, Adam, was a being who had life; the last Adam is a spirit that gives life. However, what is vivified by the Spirit does not come first, but what is purely human; what is vivified by the Spirit comes later.

The first man, made of earth, is earthly; the second comes from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are the earthly men; as is the heavenly man, so will the heavenly ones be. And just as we were like the earthly man, we will also be like the heavenly man.

Gospel

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Luke

Luke 8, 4-15

At that time, a large crowd had gathered around Jesus, and as he passed through the towns, others joined him. Then he told them this parable:

“A sower went out to sow his seed. As he was sowing, some seeds fell on the path, people stepped on them, and the birds ate them. Others fell on rocky ground, and when they sprouted, they dried up for lack of moisture. Others fell among thorns, and as these grew, they choked them. The rest fell on good soil, grew, and produced a hundredfold.” After saying this, he exclaimed: “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear!”

Then the disciples asked him: “What does this parable mean?” And he answered them: “To you it has been granted to know clearly the secrets of the Kingdom of God; to the others, only in parables so that seeing they may not see and hearing they may not understand.

The parable means this: the seed is the word of God. What fell on the path represents those who hear the word, but then the devil comes and takes it from their hearts, so that they may not believe or be saved. What fell on rocky ground represents those who, upon hearing the word, receive it with joy, but have no root; they are the ones who believe for a time, but in the moment of trial, they fail. What fell among thorns represents those who hear the word, but with the cares, riches, and pleasures of life, they are choked and do not bear fruit. What fell on good soil represents those who hear the word, keep it in a good and well-disposed heart, and bear fruit through their perseverance.”