Proper 10

Preparation

Please begin by reading Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 in your Bible. If you do not have one at hand, we have provided the text for you at the end of this reflection.

Reflection--A Lesson by the Lakeside

The likely setting for this story is the Sea of Galilee; a large, beautiful fresh water lake in northern Israel. The crowd is large.  Jesus uses a boat near the shore as a speaking platform.

As is often the case, he teaches in parables. These little stories from everyday life that teach us about living faithfully draw us in and stick in our minds much better than more direct lessons might. They provide fertile soil for the Spirit’s teaching work.

This parable, and its allegorical interpretation in the second part of our Gospel lesson, is a rich source for reflection. It involves a “sower,” the seed sown, various kinds of ground upon which the seed falls, and different impediments to growth.

Matthew probably sees the sower of the word as Jesus, but there are also good lessons here for what we as Christians may expect when we sow God’s word by sharing it with others. We are also hearers of the word and questions arise about the kind of “ground” we offer to God.

Seeds are very small things, but they have tremendous potential. The same is true of the thing that the seed represents in this parable, God's message to us.  Sometimes even a single verse of scripture, for example, can take root in our hearts and grow and blossom in unexpected ways.

But there is that catalog of impediments to spiritual growth that we know all too well from our own experience—a lack of understanding (a lack of study? a lack of openness?), a lack of endurance (those Christians who give up when they find out that a life of faith is not all joyous "mountain-top" experiences?), and being drawn off course by the many mundane cares of daily life (how easy that is!) or by the drive for “success” (but is that kind of “success” an illusion?).

Yet it would be a mistake to only see in this story the work we need to do to nurture growth on the sometimes rough road to Christian maturity. There is some extraordinarily good news here too.

That tiny, dry, lifeless seed you hold in the palm of your hand has within it all of the genetic material necessary for a thriving plant.  All it needs is good soil, water, some sunshine, and time to reach its full potential.  God's message for us works something like that too.  God’s plan for the finished product (a rich, fulfilling, useful life that furthers God's work in the world) is there within God's message from the beginning. While we need to do all that we can to enhance our opportunities for growth, growing closer to the heart of God is really mostly God’s work—a gift of grace. If we are just open to receive it and then to pass it on, God’s love has a power within it to change our lives and the lives of others.

There is a bittersweet side to this story; some of the seeds never take root, some begin to grow but then wither away.  It is always tragic when any are lost to God and to the potential God offers.  Sadly, such losses seem inevitable.  God always gives us the choice and sometimes we do not choose wisely.

But notice that despite the impediments, the seed does take root in good soil in many cases.  When it does the harvest is amazing! The joy comes in knowing that when we share God’s message, it does take root and thrive in some hearts, producing dynamic and vibrant Christians who will go out and share with many more, bringing wholeness to more lives. This is the way that the reign of God comes about.

Shall we get started with a little gardening?

revclay

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Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

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 seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they 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 grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!”

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“Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” [NRSV]