The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9)
"On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea.
Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore.
And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.
But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
Jesus gives the parable of the sower and the seed to outline the reality of God's kingdom. One can think of the parable of the sower as how the kingdom of God is unfolding in our daily lives - God is the sower, we are the seeds. Not everyone will make it to heaven, just as not all seeds will grow and flourish into what they could become. Think of the Sun as the challenges in life, and the temptations we have in our daily lives. Without good roots, the seed will not grow and will be destroyed by the sun's rays. Likewise, us human beings cannot flourish or resist sin in this world without strong foundations and faith in God. Without our roots, we will become slaves to the ebbs and flows of temptation in our lives, which will destroy our souls if we don't have anything to nourish and sustain us.
That is where God and his only Son, Jesus, come in. Our faith in the salvation brought to us by Jesus, and in his every word, is what nourishes us each day to resist the temptations to give into the world around us. By listening to his word, we can better understand the "why" of God's plan of salvation for us. This is our root - the grace of God which allows us to take in our daily nourishment through prayer and through the sacraments, to go out into the world and live for God.
So, why does Jesus speak in Parables?
Jesus later says in Matthew 13:13-15, responding to the disciples asking why he speaks in parables:
"This is why I speak to them in parables, because 'they look but do not see and hear but do not understand.'
Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:
‘You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart and be converted,
and I heal them.
Much of the Old Testament and the prophesies within have a direct parallel in the New Testament. Because the errors of sin have infiltrated all of our hearts, we are unable to fully listen and understand God's word in the Old Testament. This is one of the devil's tactics - to prevent our understanding of right and wrong, biasing or distracting us in small ways to pull us from God. A great way to combat it is by continual prayer and conversing with God and with scripture when we realize we are pulling away.
If we think back to the story the Tower of Babylon (article on this if you are interested), the people become distracted from God's plan and start building a magnificent tower, with the intent in their hearts to be like God. However, our purpose is to give proper thanks and worship to God, as he is our creator. We will never be able to know all, or see all - but we can and must honor God. The people in the story of Babylon closed their eyes, and could hardly hear God's will for them, as they were too distracted with the temptations of sin. Sound familiar?
So what is the seed to be sown?
We need to learn to open our eyes, our ears, and our hearts. By recognizing our own shortcomings, while not dwelling on them, we learn to understand that we need God's love in our lives. In turn, we can love others and grow God's kingdom on Earth.
We are all the seed - God is the sower. We have much to do on this Earth, and so much potential. Imagine the things we could do within our own families, our friends, and communities, that would be the one difference that changes someone's lives. Change comes from within - if the world is so messed up, why don't we begin in our own household?
The small changes we make in our lives will add up. Because devil works in small, unnoticeable ways, we must consistently work with God through prayer to become less distracted, less like the people clamoring for their own benefit. Become more focused on God's will for us. We may not always like it, but great things come with great sacrifice. Let us help God sow the seed of salvation by opening our own hearts to love others.
Comments