Reflection
In our scriptures today, we have the familiar story of the sower who went out to sow seeds. Some seeds fell on the ground, and the birds quickly came and ate them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where there was too little soil, which prevented them from growing. Other seeds fell prey to the scorching sun and burned up. As time went on, the sower enjoyed a good harvest when some seed fell on rich soil and yielded a bountiful harvest of thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.
We know in this familiar story that the seed is the word of God and Christ is the sower.
Jesus has planted the Word of God in our hearts and promises us that if we listen to the word of God, take it to heart and share it with others we will have life everlasting!
In retrospect, this seems pretty simple and straightforward, so why is it so hard for us to follow!?
Each time we come to liturgy, we hear the scriptures proclaimed; sometimes we are even the proclaimers, but how often do we really hear the message that Jesus is telling us? How often do we pay lip service to the word of God? How often do we allow our busy lives, our impatience and indifference to allow the seed of faith, the call to spread the good news to get lost like the seeds that fell prey to the birds, the rocky soil or the burning sun?!
Lent is coming in a few short weeks! We will have the opportunity to be that rich soil of God’s love and mercy as we open ourselves up to really listen to the Word of God, to give ourselves the time and space to produce a bountiful harvest of good news and blessings that God, the ever-faithful Sower, has planted deep in our hearts.
May we all enjoy the fruits of God’s Word and share them with others.
