Say Yes to Holiness Newsletter #375
Inspiration for the week of July 13, 2026
Welcome to the latest edition of the weekly Say Yes to Holiness newsletter—designed to help inspire, encourage and accompany you on the path towards holiness.
Today is the Feast of Saint Henry. A special day for our family as today is the feast day for my husband’s grandson, Grant Henry, so I ask your prayers for Grant as well as for his mom and dad.
Today also marks the beginning of the Fifteenth week of Ordinary Time, and Sunday’s Gospel from Matthew 13:1-9 presents one of Jesus’ most familiar parables—the Parable of the Sower.
At first glance, we might think the story is about the seed or even the sower. But the real focus is about the quality of the soil.
Our hearts are that soil, and we must remember two things—1) the seed is always good because the seed is the Word of God; and 2) the Sower is always generous because God is generous and never tires of offering His grace.
But the question Jesus asks each of us is much more personal. He asks us to consider, “What kind of soil is my heart?”
Is my heart hardened by resentment? Or is it too shallow because I fail to nourish my spiritual life? Or perhaps it is crowded by worries, distractions, and worldly concerns?
Or is it the type of rich, receptive soil that allows God’s Word to take root and bear abundant fruit?
This week's Food for the Head, Heart, Hands and Feet will seek to help us answer the question Jesus poses to us as we also ask the Holy Spirit to cultivate our hearts so that the seeds Christ plants may grow into a rich harvest for the Kingdom on our journey towards holiness…
Food for the Head
“The harm that comes to souls from the lack of reading holy books makes me shudder... What power spiritual reading has to lead to a change of course, and to make even worldly people enter into the way of perfection." — Saint Padre Pio
So how to become good soil?
First, good soil must be prepared to receive the seed.
This is the power of spiritual reading that Padre Pio is referring, and why the practice has the power to lead to a change of course and make worldly people enter into the way of perfection.
Likewise, our hearts must be exposed to God’s Word and the teachings of the Church. We must be very intentional in exposing ourselves to both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Traditions so our hearts can be transformed.
It is these three—Sacred Scripture, faithful spiritual reading, and the teachings of the Church—that cultivate the soil of our minds and help us be capable of recognizing God’s voice amid the countless voices competing for our attention.
In fact, the more deeply we immerse ourselves in God’s truth, the more readily His Word will take root and shape the way we think, choose, and live.
So, the question before us is what will we do to ensure that this can occur?
This week, resolve to spend fifteen minutes each day reading Sacred Scripture or another trusted spiritual book, asking the Holy Spirit to make your mind fertile soil for His Word.
Food for the Heart
“If the heart wanders or is distracted, bring it back to the point quite gently and replace it tenderly in its Master's presence. And even if you did nothing during the whole of your hour but bring your heart back and place it again in Our Lord's presence, though it went away every time you brought it back, your hour would be very well employed." — Saint Francis de Sales
One of the greatest obstacles to becoming rich soil for God’s Word is distraction.
Jesus tells us that some seed falls among thorns and is choked by the cares of the world. Those thorns are not always great sins. Often they are simply the countless worries, anxieties, entertainments, ambitions, and interruptions that slowly crowd Christ out of our hearts.
In the face of this reality, Saint Francis de Sales offers us both encouragement and hope. He tells us that we need not become discouraged whenever our hearts wander in prayer. Instead, we need to simply return—gently and without frustration—to the presence of the Lord. And every loving return helps to remove another thorn and soften another patch of soil in our hearts.
So, remember, the Christian life is not about never becoming distracted. Rather, it is about continually allowing the Divine Sower to cultivate our hearts until they become receptive to His Word.
And as we do that, we become better soil for the Sower to sow His seed in our hearts.
This week, each time you notice your heart becoming distracted, gently turn your attention back to Jesus and simply whisper, "Lord, make my heart good soil for Your Word."
Food for the Hands
“Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love." — Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
Healthy soil eventually produces fruit.
This is what a healthy soul does as well.
The evidence that God’s Word has taken root is not simply that we know more about our faith. Rather, evidence of God’s Word is when we become more loving, and more patient, and more generous, and more forgiving.
Saint Therese reminds us that holiness is rarely found in dramatic moments, instead, it is cultivated through countless small acts of love performed faithfully each and every day.
The Lottle Flower points out that every hidden sacrifice becomes another piece of fruit growing from the seed Christ has planted within us, and this is why we must strive to make as many small sacrifices as possible during our daily life.
This week, intentionally perform one hidden act of charity each day, allowing God's love to bear fruit through your ordinary actions..
Food for the Feet
“The ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest." — Saint Thomas More
Saint Thomas More points out that the Christian life is not measured by extraordinary accomplishments but by daily fidelity. And Jesus confirms this when He tells us that good soil produces fruit “a hundredfold.”
But that fruit is usually grown one faithful step at a time in our daily words and actions.
Within the conversations we have, and the duties we fulfill.
The prayers we offer, and the forgiveness we extend.
The sacrifices we quietly embrace within every ordinary moment that eventually become an opportunity to bear fruit for Christ.
And the harvest begins wherever our feet are planted today.
This is the journey towards holiness.
For every YES we give to sanctify the ordinary acts of our day becomes one more brick we add to the path we are walking towards eternal life with our Lord in Heaven.
This week, choose one ordinary responsibility that you often rush through and perform it slowly, prayerfully, and entirely for the glory of God.
(FYI—One of the most beautiful ways to cultivate fertile soil is by praying the Rosary with the daily Gospel, as this allows Our Lady to teach us how to ponder and treasure God's Word in our hearts.)
Exhortation
"Love takes up where knowledge leaves off." — Saint Thomas Aquinas
The Parable of the Sower reminds us that the Christian life is not about accumulating information.
Instead, it is all about transformation.
For this transformation to take place, God is constantly sowing His grace by granting us His mercy, His truth, and His love.
But again, the question Jesus poses to us is whether our hearts are prepared to receive it.
So, this week, allow the Divine Gardener to till the hardened places of your heart.
Let Him remove the stones that keep you from trusting Him.
Invite Him to cut away the thorns that choke your spiritual growth.
And then watch what He can do with a heart that is fully surrendered to Him.
May you do WHATEVER IT TAKES to become rich soil for the Gospel, bearing fruit that will nourish your family, your parish, your community, and the world, so that together we can tell the Master of Death, “NOT TODAY!”
All the best,
Christina
PS—If you haven’t already, go check out my new book, Solving the Parish Puzzle: One Person, One Disciple, One Leader at a Time is now available for purchase on Amazon.
Below are the Latest Happenings In the Say Yes to Holiness Community!
Both the Say yes to Holiness and The Catholic Leadership Puzzle podcasts are now available on Fio!
Fio is a platform of a plethora of Catholic podcasts and music. I invite you to go and check it out by accessing it through my podcast links below:
Check out my christinasemmens.com website.
This website is where I blog and where you can learn more about working with me or talking about spiritual direction. If you are interested in either, make sure to sign up for a FREE consultation. Hope to hear from you soon!
And if you would like to make a donation in support of the work associated with this endeavor, you can click the link below and subscribe to the Say Yes to Holiness Substack.
Latest Posts on the Women of the New Evangelization (WINE) blog:
Mercy, Peace and Exultation (April 12)
Harden Not Our Hearts (Mar 9)
Guest appearance on the Equipcast Podcast:
"When God Asks, How Do You Answer?: The Power of 'Yes' with Christina Semmens
Articles on the Catholic365.com Platform:
Recognizing the Path to Life
We Are All Eucharistic Missionaires!
Latest episode of the Say Yes to Holiness podcast...
Episode #263
“Freedom for Faith, Love and Service”
Subscribe to the Say Yes to Holiness podcast!
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You can also watch the podcast on the Say Yes to Holiness YouTube channel
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The Say Yes to Holiness YouTube Channel
Episode #263—”Faith, Love and Service”—Say Yes to Holiness Podcast
In addition to podcasts, you can also find additional content like the Lenten Book Online Retreat—”Rooting Out Hidden Faults” by Father James McElhone on YouTube—Click here to be taken to the playlist
Update from The Catholic Leadership Puzzle
Solving the Parish Puzzle: One Person, One Disciple, and One Leader at a Time is now available for purchase at Amazon.
The book focuses upon how we each can help to create life-giving communities where we can become the holy men and women that God created us to be, and is a compilation of the work I have been sharing on The Catholic Leadership Puzzle Substack.
I encourage you to read the reviews below to help you determine if you should pick up a copy today…
“Christina's book is both thoughtful and practical. I appreciate the careful attention to crafting a solid plan for reinvigorating and reenergizing parish life from from the 'ground up' - in other words, she writes with wisdom and experience about starting small and engaging individuals and small groups who can then passionately spread this message like fire. Helpful resource for anyone seeking to help take their parish community to a place of deep spiritual, practical, and holy love for the Lord and for one another!”—Matthew Koscal
“This book is for anyone who wants to see their parish thrive. Whether you are a priest or lay person, read Solving the Parish Puzzle for clear guidance on taking an average parish to the next level of discipleship. What we have been doing is not working. It’s time for something new. Semmens lays the groundwork so we can put the pieces together.”—Carol Wiget
If you already have a book, please consider posting a review on Amazon as well.
To access the SPP book resources and find more CLP content, you can find it here at The Catholic Leadership Puzzle Substack