Sower | Seeds | Sowing

15TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

[ Matthew 13: 1-23 ]

A parable is a short story based on a familiar life experience, used by Jesus, to teach God’s truth. In the Gospel reading this Sunday, Jesus tells us the Parable of the Sower.

The seed is the word of God, Christ the sower; whoever finds this seed will remain for ever. Jesus comes among us sowing the word of God. He alone has the message of eternal life. We cannot save our own souls without Jesus Christ our Lord.

And see how Jesus sow: He is a generous sower; He sows generously and He sows without discrimination. He calls men and women, believers and non-believers, young and old, free and slave, well and unwell, saints and sinners to Himself. He refuses no one who comes to Him for He desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth [1 Tim 2: 3-4]. 

Jesus sows generously and indiscriminately.

But the word of God is met with different responses:

    (1) Some hear the word and reject the word right away.

    (2) Some hear the word, but eventually lose the word because the word has not taken root in the heart.

    (3) Some hear the word, but the word is choked by the worries of the world and the lure of riches.

    (4) Only the hearts, that readily welcome the word and nurture the word, yield bountiful harvests.

The word of God is met with different responses.

Before we are quick to pride ourselves on delivering bountiful harvests, let us ask ourselves:

   (1) What harvest do we yield?

   (2) What fruit do we bear?

   (3) Do we bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit [Gal 5: 22-23]? I.e., love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

What fruits do we bear?

And Jesus has this to say, “A sound tree cannot bear rotten fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit. Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire!” [Mt 7: 18-19]

Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire! [Mt 7: 19]

Let our fervent prayer be:

   “Lord Jesus Christ,

   may my heart welcome your word,

   and may my life bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit.”

Let us also pray that God’s justice, peace, truth and love may prevail in Ukraine, Sri Lanka and Nicaragua.

   [Note: This Gospel reflection was first published on Porta Fidei, Gospel Reflection, 12 Jul 2020.]