Word to the Wise
Saturday, September 18, 2010 - St. Juan Macias, O.P. - Dominican Brother
[1 Corinthians 15:35-37, 42-49 and Luke 8:4-15]But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.
The Gospel of Luke was composed about 50 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. It should be expected that their circumstances and trials would influence the way in which they interpreted the tradition of Jesus' teachings that were passed on to them. The parable of the sower and the seed is one of the rare times that Jesus is portrayed as actually explaining the meaning of a particular parable. Usually the image explains itself! The original image was no doubt familiar to the subsistence farmers who heard Jesus. (Agri-business and giant "tillers" did not exist!) Nevertheless, the community experienced what every preacher knows: sometimes the message doesn't get through, sometimes it gets through but doesn't "stick," and sometimes it not only gets through but has lasting results! Should the fact of the first two discourage the preacher from the task? The parable encourages perseverance! As a campus minister for many years, and now as a full time itinerant preacher, I can personally testify to the strength of the image in the parable. In every congregation of college students I would know personally individuals in each of the categories Jesus mentions. I might even add a category: seeds that germinate much later - long after the farmer has planted them - waiting for the right conditions or the hard shell to soften! I would also have to recognize that on any given day, the same person might move from one category to another, depending on what the subject of the preaching might be. Our option-crazy "cafeteria individualism" culture affects us all! I know, too, that I may never see the results of my preaching at a particular parish mission or retreat. (The "Johnny Appleseed" effect!) By virtue of our baptism, we are all ground, seed and sower! Taking some time to ponder which one we are at a given time and to what degree could mean that we are making this parable come alive and bear fruit! AMEN
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