Daily Reflections

September 17, 2011
BE A WILLING SEED

This parable is commonly known as the Parable of the Sower. But while the main character is the sower, it’s the soil that received the seeds that the sower scattered that assume the major role. It mentions that there are different kinds of soil that receive the seeds.
This parable gets the distinction of being one of the very few whose meaning was clearly explained by Jesus. The seeds are the words of God and the soil represents the hearers of God’s Word. There are different kinds of soil that receive the seeds as there are many kinds of hearers of the Word. The parable is therefore really about the soil, or about us who hear the Word of God. When I give retreats, I always remind my listeners to allow the Word of God to penetrate their hearts. Being participants in a spiritual exercise, you might expect that they would be already receptive to what they hear. But you’d be surprised that some are like cushions or trampolines. Something touches them but the message just bounces off them.
They hear great teachings about forgiveness and say, “This is applicable to my neighbor whose heart is as hard as stone.” Or a teaching about love and say, “I wish my friend would hear this so she can be filled with love.” Instead of allowing God’s Word to speak to them, they see others as needing them more than they do.
The Word of God is like seeds. They can grow and bear fruit when the soil receives them. Unless we develop a great amount of openness to God’s Word, we will never see it bear fruit in our lives. We need to be humble in recognizing that when His words are sown in us, we need them. Instead of simply dismissing or thinking that others need them more than we do, we have to allow His words to really come and take root in our hearts and eventually bear fruit. Fr. Sandy V. Enhaynes

Reflection Question:
How open is your heart to receive God’s Word? Do you bounce it off to other people? Or do you allow it to sink in your heart?

Father, make me a good soil to receive Your Word and let it bear fruit in my life.

St. Justin, pray for us.