Say Yes to Holiness Newsletter #376
Inspiration for the week of July 20, 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.
Happy Sixteenth week in Ordinary Time!
We are well into the heart of summer, and if you happen to be a gardener, then you probably are seeing some pretty good growth going on in your garden. Unfortunately, this growth usually includes weeds—or at least that is what happens in my garden! LOL
The temptation is to focus on pulling the weeds, but by doing that, we often end up pulling out some of the good plants.
Now, this is very similar to one of our greatest temptations in the spiritual life, too—to spend more time worrying about weeds than tending the wheat.
Well, in this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds. At first glance, we may think the lesson is about identifying evil in the world. But Jesus is pointing us towards something much deeper.
The Master refuses to uproot the weeds immediately because doing so would damage the wheat. Instead, He patiently allows both to grow until the harvest.
God exercises remarkable patience with us, too.
He sees every weed in our own hearts—our pride, impatience, fears, resentments, selfishness, and attachments—and yet He does not abandon us. Instead, He continually pours out His grace, cultivating the good seed He planted within us at Baptism.
Likewise, we are called to exercise patience with others, allowing God to work in His time rather than demanding immediate perfection from ourselves or those around us.
So, this week's Food for the Head, Heart, Hands and Feet seeks to inspire, encourage, and accompany us into becoming rich, fruitful wheat in the Lord's field as we continue on our journey towards holiness…
Food for the Head
"People often think of Christian morality as a kind of bargain... every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you... either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature." — C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Jesus reminds us that wheat and weeds grow together until harvest, and C.S. Lewis explains how that growth actually happens.
Every choice we make either strengthens the life of grace within us or strengthens those habits that draw us away from God. Holiness rarely comes through dramatic moments. It is usually formed by thousands of ordinary decisions made with love.
Every act of patience. Every act of forgiveness. Every prayer. Every sacrifice. Every choice to love instead of judge. Each one and every one of them slowly transforms us into the person God created us to become.
It’s the field of our soul is being cultivated every day.
The question is: What are we allowing to grow?
This week, resolve to make one deliberate choice each day that nourishes the wheat God has planted within you.
Food for the Heart
“Do not suppose that after advancing the soul to such a state God abandons it so easily... love is never idle... it is impossible for a soul that has come to this state not to go still farther." — Saint Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle
One of the consoling realities in today’s Gospel is that God never stops cultivating our hearts.
Even when weeds seem abundant, or when growth feels painfully slow, or when we feel discouraged, God continues His work.
Saint Teresa of Avila reminds us that authentic love is never idle because God is always inviting us to deeper conversion.
Sometimes His work comes through consolation., but other times it comes through trials, waiting, disappointments, or seasons when growth seems invisible.
Yet beneath the surface, grace is quietly strengthening the roots.
And just like the wheat in Jesus’ parable, we often will grow long before anyone—including ourselves—can even see the harvest, so we need to have faith and trust that God is working, and He will ensure that we go even farther.
This week, resolve to thank God for one hidden way He is quietly helping you grow in holiness.
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
The servants wanted to pull up the weeds immediately, yet Jesus chooses patience.
Most of the time, holiness isn’t demonstrated through extraordinary deeds, but rather it is lived through countless ordinary acts of charity.
Like a kind word. A smile. A patient response. Listening before speaking. Choosing not to criticize. Praying for someone instead of complaining about them.
There are innumerable and seemingly insignificant acts that can become the seeds of the Kingdom because God grows extraordinary holiness through ordinary fidelity.
So, each day that we are attentive to doing the smallest right for love, we are allowing God to grow the wheat within.
This week, resolve to perform one hidden act of charity every day without seeking recognition.
Food for the Feet
“When uncertain about God's will... fulfill the duties of your state in life... be faithful to prayer... maintain trust in God... love the people around us here and now." — Father Jacques Philippe, Interior Freedom
While it may be tempting to spend our time trying to determine when God will finally remove all the weeds from the world, it’s not for us to know.
Jesus tells us that removing weeds is His work—not ours.
Rather, our task is much simpler—remain faithful today.
Pray today. Love today. Trust today. And fulfill the duties placed before us today.
Father Jacques Philippe reminds us that God’s future plans will become clearer for us when we faithfully embrace today’s responsibilities and trust His plan and the timing of the harvest.
And when the harvest eventually does comes, it belongs to God, not us.
Instead, our responsibility is simply to remain faithful while we wait.
This week, resolve to entrust one situation you cannot control completely into God's hands and simply remain faithful to today's duties.
(FYI—One of the best ways to remain faithful while you wait is by praying the Rosary. One of my favorites is the Daily Rosary meditation by the Holy Family School of Faith. You can find it here)
Exhortation
“One should not say that it is impossible to reach a virtuous life; but one should say that it is not easy.” — Saint Antony of the Desert
The wheat and the weeds will continue growing together until the Lord returns.
This reality should not discourage us, rather it should encourage us because the Master of the field has not abandoned His crop.
Instead, He patiently cultivates each soul by watering, pruning, nourishing, and waiting.
Our task is to not become discouraged by the weeds we encounter during the process.
Rather, our task is to keep choosing Christ, trusting that His grace is always stronger than any weed, and trust that His harvest will one day reveal the beauty He has been growing all along.
May you do WHATEVER IT TAKES to become the fruitful wheat the Lord planted us to be, 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 with a plethora of Catholic podcasts and music options. I invite you to go and check it out by accessing it through my podcast links below:
Check out my christinasemmens.com website and download some of the free resources.
Some of the FREE resources include a Spiritual Wellness Assessment, List of Recommended Books for Spiritual Reading, and a Rule of Life Planner Sheet.
This website is also where I blog and where you can learn more about working with me or learning more about spiritual direction. If you are interested, make sure to sign up for a FREE 20 minute consultation. Hope to hear from you soon!
Finally, if you would like to support my work, 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!
You can listen to the latest episodes of the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere else you listen to podcasts.
You can also watch the podcast on the Say Yes to Holiness YouTube channel
Click Here to Check Out All the Podcast Episodes
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
Now that Solving the Parish Puzzle: One Person, One Disciple, and One Leader at a Time has been released (and is available for purchase at Amazon), I have just started a NEW PODCAST SERIES that highlights different topics covered in the book by having conversations with a variety of guests.
The first topic was LEADERSHIP, and to dive into that topic, my guest on the Catholic Leadership Podcast was Shawn Sommerkamp, Christian Leadership coach and founder of Motivationeer Coaching.
Christian Leadership Insights with Shawn Sommerkamp—1:1 Conversation with Founder of Motivationeer Coaching
If you have yet to pick up a copy of Solving the Parish Puzzle: One Person, One Disciple, One Leader at a Time, I encourage you to do so, especially in light of all the wonderful reviews it has received. And if you do already have a book, please consider posting a review on Amazon—every review matters!
And if you are looking for more SPP book resources and content, you can find it at The Catholic Leadership Puzzle Substack.