Is. 55:10-11; Ps 65:10-14; Rom. 8:18-23; Mt. 13:1-23
The parable of the Sower is the revelation of Christ himself, the word made flesh revealing God’s truth to his people. It is a revelation also of the heart of mankind at all stages of faith and desire for the mysteries of God. It begs the question “how much does it matter to see, to listen and to understand what God desires to reveal to us?” Jesus is the seed that comes to us in baptism with hope to grow strong within the soul of a person and reveal himself in all his love and splendor. The seed of baptism is the beginning of the gift of Jesus himself but it is up to us now to attend to this gift by our priorities. Where our time, energy, and focus are spent reveals what really matters in our lives and God knows it.
One thing is true from the first reading and that is that God sends us his word and it will do his will “achieving the end to which I sent it”. Jesus reveals that this is why he speaks in parables so that his word reaches the souls who have cultivated a heart ready to produce much fruit and grow rich in the knowledge of God.
Jesus gives three scenarios where the seed is sown in the ground. The seed sown on the path is like the child who is raised agnostic with no faith or religion. They hear of religion as part of a cultural mythology easily dismissed by the sufferings of this world.
The seed on rocky ground is a child who learns to celebrate the cultural norms of society where Christmas and Easter are but a season festivities and decorations but lack the true meaning of the season. They look and hear but do not listen and understand the message. Tribulation is disconnected from the meaning of sacrifice and love.
The seed sown among thorns is the child was given the milk of faith in one God but the thorns of worldly temptation have lured them away to follow a religion of “one”, me and my God, what works for me alone. Sadly, this island of one alone creates its own anxiety and depression lacking in communion, that is lacking in the common union with others and with God.
The seed on rich soil has been cultivated with the reality of a God of love who comes to us with the truth to lead us and call us to bear lasting fruit. It is the one truth for all eternity and it is in labor wanting to give birth in the lives of those who seek him. The “sufferings of this present time” are our labor pains and they don’t compare to the joy of giving birth to a life eternal in heaven.
This time of creation is our time of labor that we may give birth to the “redemption of our bodies”. God is the redeemer but we are participants in this act of redemption in cultivating the soil. We are redeemed from sin, healed by grace and sanctified by the sacramental life of the church. If we resist God’s mercy then we will give birth to a still-born child without the life of the spirit. This still-born child is ourselves, the one that God wishes to form and give his life to but we must cultivate the soil in order to be received and to welcome him.
Finally, is the one who has eyes to see the hand of God working in his creation, has ears to hear his call to do his will as an instrument of God’s love, and whose heart understands the truth of the mystery of redemption not in theory but in practice bearing fruit in all seasons. We become “that one” the person of faith in the one true God who reveals himself within his kingdom where we are called to enter and see, experience and love, and live our God-given purpose. We not only have to live it but it becomes our identity as a child of God. Christianity is not something we do it is who we are.
Some people will say “I don’t do religion I am just spiritual”. Translation is they don’t belong to a God they are their own god as they meditate on themselves. We respond “I don’t do religion either, I am of God”. Religion is not something you do it is something God does and gave us to bring us to him. A person of God comes to church so God can do his mystery of love in the sacraments and give of himself to us.
Every day can turn into a day when the ground beneath us will tremble, the sun will be overshadowed and darkness can cover us. It is then that we will discover what really matters and our readiness to walk without fear in the light of Christ. If we desire to be and to remain as the person of faith, hope, and love in all seasons, then let us remain close to Jesus, receive his body and blood in the Eucharist, spend time with his Word making every day an offering of ourselves as we do the work before us. Jesus comes to the humble heart that is that person of prayer who knows “I am of God”.
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