Word to the Wise
Wednesday, January 29, 2025 - Wednesday in the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time
[Heb 10:11-18 and Mark 4:1-20]"Hear this! A sower went out to sow. And as he sewed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold." He added, "Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear. [Mark]
Parables are a distinctive feature of Jesus' preaching. The parable of the sower and the seed appears in all three of the synoptic gospels. This parable has the distinction of being the only one where Jesus "unpacks" it for the Twelve. One would think, in an agricultural society of subsistence farmers, that the Twelve would understand. But part of the Markan agenda is that the disciples don't really understand until Jesus is crucified and risen! The parable is really directed more to the missionary than to the audience who would be familiar with farming techniques of that time, which did not include GPS guided plowing and planting!!!!
The preacher has to be realistic and aware of the environment of the listeners as well as the possible ways that environment may impact individual listeners. Some folks are "there" but not really "there." They have problems at home or job or health that dominate their thoughts. Others will say, "AMEN!" and forget what was said as soon as they get to the parking lot! But some will hear the message and take it to heart. Of course, this assumes the preacher is doing a good job, which, unfortunately, is not always the case in Catholic settings. In any case, the effectiveness of our missionary efforts will depend on many variables, and all of us, called by baptism to be "missionary disciples" (Pope Francis' term) have to spread the seed of God's word by deed and word and realize that we are only the planters. God gives the harvest. AMEN