The Sower, the Seed, and the Soil (Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Isaiah 55:10-11, Romans 8:18-23, Matthew 13:1-23
Reflection
The Sower, the Seed and the Soil
Dear sisters and brothers,
Now a days, we grow up in the post-truth world listening to the manufactured lies, reading the systematic propaganda of fake news, and proclaiming the same with the help of high profile people in society to achieve their own purpose.
In this context, Jesus gives us the parable of the Sower.
First of all, let us read the text from the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 13:1-9):
That same day, Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.
Such great crowds gathered around him
that he got into a boat and sat there,
while the whole crowd stood on the beach.
And he told them many things in parables, saying:
“Listen! A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and birds came and ate them up.
Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil,
and sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil.
But when the sun rose, they were scorched;
and since they had no root, they withered away.
Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grains,
some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty.
Let anyone with ears listen.”
The passage begins with:
“That same day, Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea” (Matthew 13:1).
There are three important points to be noted here.
They are:
1. That same day,
2. Went out of the house, &
3. Beside the sea.
Let us reflect on the first one.
1. That same day:
Why did Matthew start the passage with ‘that same day’?
The previous passage ends with the saying of Jesus (Matthew 12:49-50):
That same day, Jesus said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:49-50).
Did Jesus meet His mother and brothers after His preaching?
No. Jesus did not meet them.
There is no passage that mentions that Jesus met them after his preaching in the house.
What did Jesus do then?
Jesus went out of the house without meeting His mother and brothers.
2. Went out of the house:
Secondly, “Jesus went out of the house” with the same feeling that all those who belong to God is His mother, sister and brother or all those who do the will of His Father (Matthew 12:49-50) are in His heart and mind.
He focused only on the family of God.
In other words, we can say that He focused on ‘the Kingdom of God’.
3. Sat beside the sea:
Then, the passage reads: “sat beside the sea” (Matthew 13:1).
Matthew beautifully stated: ‘Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea’.
In my own words, I would say that Jesus went from a confined house to the vastness of the sea.
What was symbolically conveyed here?
Jesus, moving from the house to the sea, symbolically conveyed that we need to move from our small petty things like family, self-goals and so on, to the vastness of the Kingdom of Love.
We need to move from family to community.
We need to move from personal goal to God’s purpose.
We need to move from profession to vocation.
We need to move from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh.
We need to move from flesh to the Spirit.
This is what it means, moving from the house to the sea, in my opinion.
The passage further reads:
“Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach” (Matthew 13:2).
Why did such great crowds gather around him?
Who were they?
First and foremost, we have to understand the meaning of ‘crowds’.
‘Crowd’ is a noun. It is in singular form too. It means ‘a large group of people’.
‘Crowds’ is the plural form of ‘crowd’. It refers to ‘large groups of people’.
It means that there were different groups and not just a single group around Jesus.
Here, ‘Crowds’ was deliberately used by the writer of the Gospel to show that it is not a group or a singular group but there were “groups”.
It implies that there were different ‘types of people’, gathered around Jesus.
‘Types of people’ could represent:
There could be a group that might have understood the Kingdom of Love.
There could be a group that might not have understood the Kingdom of Love.
There could be a group that might have longed to hear the Word.
There could be a group that might not have longed to hear the Word.
There might be a group that might have come to see Jesus.
There might be a group that might have a need of healing.
There might be a group that might have a need of forgiveness.
There might be a group that might have been onlookers.
There might be a group that might have been learned and knowledgeable.
There might be a group that might have come to accuse Him.
There might be a group that might have come to do small business.
There might have been a group of children.
There might have been a group of women.
There might have been a group of tax collectors.
There might have been a group of scribes.
There might have been a group of Pharisees.
We can go on and on saying that there were so many groups of people, gathered around Jesus.
In summary, we can say that there were great crowds around Jesus with different ideologies, different opinions, different ideas, and from different walks of life.
It was for sure that there was not a large group but large groups, gathered around Jesus.
The text of Matthew (Matthew 13:2) further continues: ‘he got into the boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach’.
As I said earlier that sea signifies the vastness of the Kingdom of love.
Jesus comfortably sat on it.
At the same time, the whole crowd ‘stood’ on the beach...
The whole crowd yearns to get into the boat and sail harmoniously the vastness of the Kingdom of love, but there was something that held them not to get into.
That is the reason, the whole crowd stood on the beach, not comfortably seated.
In this context, Jesus told them many things in parables to make them to easily understand God’s love, His Word and His Mission.
Today, let us reflect on the parable of the Sower.
I come from the agriculture family.
I have grown up walking in and out to the field’s, day and night, as a child when I stayed with my grandparents for two years.
I have seen my grandparents working hard in the field.
I have seen the sweat of my grandparents falling on the field.
I have keenly observed how the soil was prepared for cultivation.
My grandpa first ploughed the field with the help of bulls.
Then, he spread the field with manure and again he ploughed the field mixing both, the soil and the manure, making soil more fertile, so that the seeds which would be sown, would grow bearing the grains 100 percent.
Having observed the works that were involved to produce 100 percent grain, I would like to humbly say that I know something when Jesus speaks about the sower, seed and soils.
Having experienced personally these processes of cultivation, I try to differently reflect the parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9).
The Sower is God, the Father.
The Seed is the Word of God.
The Soil is a large crowd of people.
We start our reflection ‘from the soil to the Sower’ in reverse order rather than ‘from the Sower to the soil’ in top down order.
A. The Soil:
There are four types of soils.
They are:
a. Path Way,
b. Rocky Ground,
c. Thorny Bush, &
d. Good Soil.
a. Path Way:
“And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,
and birds came and ate them up” (Matthew 13:4).
This soil is very hard.
This soil is prepared very hard with stones for path way.
There are many people who walked or stepped on this path or traveled by vehicles.
It signifies that a large crowd of people are hurt and wounded in many ways by others.
It may be physical harm, psychological abuse, emotional blackmail, and spiritual blindness.
It is difficult for those people to understand the Word of God, which they hear with their wounded hearts.
I personally believe that only the Spirit of Jesus can heal these types of wounds and hurts.
Only Jesus, the Incarnate Word, can touch and heal them.
No psychologist or no rituals or statues can heal them.
We read in Hebrews (Hebrews 4:12-13):
“Indeed, the word of God is living and effective,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
penetrating even between soul and spirit,
joints and marrow,
and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
No creature is concealed from him,
but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him
to whom we must render an account.”
b. Rocky Ground:
“Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil,
and sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil.
But when the sun rose, they were scorched;
and since they had no root, they withered away” (Matthew 13:5-6).
A large crowd of people, may belong to a group of hardhearted and hardheaded people.
They are very difficult to handle.
They have pride and ego strong in them.
The Word of God cannot penetrate into their hardhearted and hardheaded.
We read in the Gospel of John (John 1:11):
“He came to what was his own,
and his own people did not accept him.”
They received the Word of God gladly.
But their pride and ego takes over and they remain the same.
What does Jesus do to them?
We read in the book of prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 36:26):
“I will give you a new heart
and put a new spirit in you;
I will remove from you your heart of stone
and give you a heart of flesh.”
The Word Incarnate, Jesus gives to them a new spirit and a heart of flesh.
c. Thorny Bush:
“Other seeds fell among thorns,
and the thorns grew up
and choked them” (Matthew 13:7).
A large crowd of people, who sees only negative things all the time and waiting to criticise others.
We meet this crowd in our everyday life.
Jesus too experienced it personally.
We read in the Gospel of Mark (Mark 6:3):
“Is he not the carpenter,
the son of Mary,
and the brother of James and Joses
and Judas and Simon?
And are not his sisters here with us?”
And they took offense at him.”
Even though they could experience the miraculous power, the Word Incarnate, Jesus, they could not change.
Further, we read (Mark 6:5-6):
“So, he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,
apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
He was amazed at their lack of faith.”
A large crowd of people, needs the faith like a centurion (Matthew 8:8):
“Lord, I am not worthy
to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word
and my servant will be healed.”
Jesus, the Word heals everyone when we allow Him to come into our life.
d. Good Soil:
“Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grains,
some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:8).
A large crowd of people, who are receptive to the Word of God.
They long for the Word of God in their life.
They are not perfect people.
But, they believe as St. Paul says in Letter to Romans (Romans 8:18-23):
“I consider
that the sufferings of this present time
are as nothing compared
with the glory to be revealed for us.
For creation awaits with eager expectation
the revelation of the children of God;
for creation was made subject to futility,
not of its own accord
but because of the one
who subjected it, in hope
that creation itself would be set free
from slavery to corruption
and share in the glorious freedom
of the children of God.
We know that all creation is groaning
in labor pains even until now;
and not only that,
but we ourselves,
who have the first fruits of the Spirit,
we also groan within ourselves
as we wait for adoption,
the redemption of our bodies.”
They accept their sufferings.
They accept their pains.
They accept their difficulties.
They accept that they need help.
They accept Jesus, the Word Incarnate as their Saviour, and wait eagerly for the Salvation.
In addition, they know that Jesus, the Word bore all inequities for their sins and for their glory with God, the Father.
B. Seeds:
Anyone, who cultivates or who does agriculture, knows that seeds that are sown are carefully chosen for the cultivation.
Any seeds cannot be used for sowing.
Sowing seeds have to be chosen particularly, separated from the rest of the seeds, and kept in preserved place for the sowing in due season.
The Seed is the Word of God.
We read in the first book of the scripture, the book of Genesis that God said and all things, animate and inanimate, came into being (Genesis 1:1-31).
“God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).
The Word of God, makes the soil more fruitful.
The Word of God, comes with a purpose.
The Word of God for everyone is different.
We hear the Word of God differently according to our life situation.
We listen to the Word of God for a particular purpose, for a particular reason, and for a particular season.
The Word of God that we listen, is chosen particularly, separated from the rest of the world, and kept in our hearts for the mission of God.
The Word of God will not go in vain without attaining or achieving the purpose of God in our lives.
Sometimes, we understand that God’s purpose is achieved, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
“Let anyone with ears listen” (Matthew 13:9).
Who did say “Let anyone with ears listen” (Matthew 13:9)?
It was said by the Incarnate Word, Jesus Himself.
We read in the Gospel of John (John 1:1-4):
“In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be
through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race.”
The great crowds gathered around Jesus, the Word, to listen to Him so that they can become children of God.
C. The Sower:
As I mentioned earlier, the Sower is none other than God, the Father Himself.
He creates each one of us for His own purpose.
As we read from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 55:10-11):
Thus, says the LORD:
Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
and do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
giving seed to him who sows
and bread to him who eats,
so shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
my word shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.
Without achieving His purpose, we will not return to Him.
What is the purpose of God?
The purpose is as Jesus says (Matthew 12:50):
“For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven
is my brother and sister and mother.”
How do we know the will of God?
We know the will of God by hearing the Word and understanding it as it is said in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 13:23):
“the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”
Why is there a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold?
We can receive a hundredfold allowing the Word to penetrate into our hearts through our ears (hearing) and eyes (seeing).
The soil or the sower cannot make a seed to grow and produce without rain and sunlight.
Rain and sun, signify the grace of God and blessing of God respectively, and both come from the above.
More than hearing and understanding the Word, we need grace and blessing from God to produce a hundredfold.
Not only I do the will of God, but I depend on His grace and blessing to fulfil the will of God a hundredfold.
Now, we may sometimes produce only sixty or thirty but we have hope, faith and love.
We try to discern the will of God in spite of our brokenness.
‘The Sower’ has no partiality.
No sower sows the seed purposely on path ways, on rocky ground or on thorny bush. A sower sows always in fertile soil.
But, our Sower, the Word Incarnate, sows the seed (the Word) on such great crowds without any partiality, going beyond what the world otherwise thinks.
We read in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 5:45):
“that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.”
Yes, God, the Father reaches out all the time with His mercy, compassion and forgiveness.
‘The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest’ (Luke 8:8).
Are we ready to do the will of God, so that we can yield a hundredfold wherever we are, with our own brokenness?
Let us pray that we may be fruitful in our life listening to the Word, understanding it, doing His will with His grace and blessing.
May the Heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all. Amen.
