15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matthew 13:1-23

I grew up in the tropics of the south pacific in an agrarian society. We are very familiar with working the land, sowing seeds, raising crops and harvesting its produce. My ancestors could also read the weather patterns and how it affects the crops.

When Jesus uses the parables involving farming life, it is not surprising that my heart is instantly drawn to the principles of sowing and reaping. Sowing and reaping is a law of the natural world. This is nothing magical and humanity has understood this process of sowing and reaping ever since Adam and Eve. Given the right amount of sunlight, proper conditions of soil and sufficient rain, any man, woman and child could sow seeds and receive a hundredfold.

But Jesus’ parable in Matthew’s Gospel chapter 13:1-23, while using the laws of sowing and reaping, expresses something much deeper of the spiritual world and the bigger picture at the end of time, the Kingdom of Heaven.
The first principle is simple; a person reaps what he sows (Galatians 6:7). In other words there are natural consequences to our actions. If we plant pear seeds we should expect to harvest pears. Those who continue to sow anger should expect to receive what anger naturally produces (Galatians 6:8). If we teach our children the value of respect, they should expect to be treated well. Living a life of debauchery and sin and expecting to inherit the kingdom of heaven at the end of the age is like planting sensitive grass and waiting for roses!

The other principle is obviously a wait. Nothing grows overnight and the farmer must be very patient in order to see the fruits of his labours (1 Cor 3:6). But the farmer also knows that “at the proper time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). Sowing suggests a length of time that does not depend on the farmer. Time is independent of the sower. The waiting could be frustrating yet the farmer never gives up the hope that his seeds would eventually grow because he has given the necessary preparations. Christians must never give up sowing seeds of hope, faith and love even if it appears fruitless. God’s time is the best time.

The third principle is simply to do with the different conditions associated with the soil. There are many types of soil of the land and Jesus mentions four in his parable. Jesus is calling our attention to the condition of our hearts, which determines our receptivity to the truths of God, the seeds of God’s word. Some types of soil could easily reject seeds. It is nothing to do with the seeds but with receptive hearts.

Jesus in this parable gave us some reasons why some hearts would reject His word and others would accept. As followers of Christ the invitation here is to attend to the needs of our hearts and its various conditions. Every man and woman should search his or her heart and ask, “How do I relate myself in my study of the various conditions in the sowing of the sower?

This parable confronts us all to look after our hearts and watch its movements and vitality. This Mystery we call God continues to sow life-giving seeds of comfort, peace, and reassurance and how it affects us depends on our ongoing sensitivity.

Some ways of being sensitive to God’s seeds are slowing down, contemplative prayer, works of mercy like feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, joining a charity group, fighting for justice and peace, reading good spiritual books, eat and sleep well, regular exercise, regular silence and lots of loving kindness. These could help to till and fertilise the inner soils of our soils. Some other questions that might be of help are:

• What practices may God be calling you to do that can till the good soil of your heart, soul, mind, or body?
• What people or places or activities in your life is God inviting you to move away from — people or places or activities that are acting like birds, eating up the seeds God is sowing?
• Are there rocks or thorns that God is inviting you to trim, uproot, or let go of this morning?