Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time/ July 12, 2020
Gospel: Matthew 13:1-9
Friends in today’s Gospel Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed feel 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 thirty fold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
We know that when Jesus teaches He uses stories, simile, metaphors, allegories, graphic analogies, images, and parables to communicate His message, and make His message more concrete for His hearers. In today’s Gospel He uses parables. St. Matthew was giving this motive why the Lord made use of Parables, it was because of “the accomplishment of the prophecies; for one of the characteristics of the Messiah was, that He would express himself in this parabolical manner; and Jesus Christ was pleased that the most minute circumstances should be fulfilled in His person, in order that the resemblance between Him and the ancient prophets, in the mode of instructing, might induce the Jews to consider Him as the great prophet, foretold by Moses.” [Verbum] The word ‘Parable’ in Greek is Parabole. It is an “earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” It is also a “narrative drawn from nature or human circumstances whose object is to teach a spiritual lesson. It always emerge from common life experience and are used ‘as means of illustrating profound, divine truths.’ [365 days with the Lord]
“The Parable of the Sower”
In the time of Jesus, what was common method of sowing seed was ‘the broadcasting method.’ Broadcasting a method of sowing were the sower scatters the seeds over the surface of the soil. Usually done by hand. No wonder some seeds will fall on the pathway, or on the rocky ground, or in the thorn bushes, or maybe eaten by the birds. The situation is understandable if seeds lands in various places.
The meaning of the Parable [Source: 365 Days with the Lord]
The seed on the pathway is similar to the Word falling on hardened hearts; since it cannot germinate, it is a ready target for the birds (Satan) to steal and destroy. The seed on stony ground germinates, but the soil is shallow and it dies for lack of roots. The seed among the thorns starts its growth, but it is choked off by the competing cares of the world. The seed on good ground, the fertile soil, grows and yields abundant fruit. It yeilds a hundred or sixty or thirty fold.
What does the Lord wants us to do in our Gospel today? What is His challenge? He challenges us “to open our hearts and allow Gods word to grow and produce abundant fruits; good fruits.” What kind of heart do I have now? Is my heart like a pathway, or a rocky ground, or a thorn bushes, or a fertile soil?
Prayer: Abba, our Loving Father thank You for Your Word, thank You for cultivating Your word in our hearts. May we who receive Jesus, the Word, bare much fruit. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son who lives with You in unity of the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen.
