Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council

The Lord said this parable: "A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it.  And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.  And some fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it.  And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold."  And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of then kingdom of God; but for others they are parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they many not understand.  Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.  The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that may not believe and be saved......