Is 55:10-11.
Romans 8:18-23.
Matthew 13:1-23.

The Sower and the Seeds

In this Sunday’s gospel Jesus tells the parable of the Sower and the Seeds. Jesus uses parables to teach because the meanings of parables are not always self-evident. The hearer must engage in some reflection in order to comprehend the message of the message. In the parable of the Sower and the Seeds, only those who are willing to really listen and engage themselves in the effort to understand will be rewarded by owning the deep meaning of the message and will bear fruit. The point of the parable of the Sower and the Seeds is to tell us how our relationship with God is to grow. This, in turn, helps us to live our lives in such a way that we bear fruit. 

Jesus tells us in this parable what is required to be in relationship with our loving God and to live life fully, bearing fruit every day. But this doesn’t always happening when planting seeds. When distributing the seeds some are sown on rocky ground, or are sown among weeds and choked out. Some have no deep roots and will burn away. The surprise in the parable is the enormous yield of the seeds that are sown in good soil, are nurtured and produce fruit. 

Have you ever attended mass, and when you returned home have no memory of what was in the readings for that day? The different types of soil in which the seeds are sown are metaphors for the disposition with which we hear the teaching of Jesus. Some of us will be distracted by worldly affairs and not hear a word of the readings. Some of us will receive it for a time but will lose it when faced with difficulties or worries. Some of us will hear the word but will let other cares choke it out. Yet some will receive it well, and the seed will produce abundant fruit. Which “listener” are you?

The word of God will grow and bear fruits only when it is planted in good soil. Good soil does not happen by chance. It is the product of pulling out the weeds, and nourishing it with water, nutrients and fertilizers. Similarly, if we want the word of God to grow and bear fruits in us, we must work hard to root out faults and weakness from our hearts. We must cultivate our spiritual lives by prayer, reflection and sacraments. We must be open to hearing the word of God and then respond to its call. If we are to be faithful followers of Jesus we must make the word of God bear fruit in our daily lives. We cannot hear the word of God and remain passive. We must act!    

What helps you really listen to the word of God and make it your own?

When can you set time aside to read, reflect and pray with the word of God?