Jesus speaks in parables a lot, and in the gospel today his disciples ask him why. He has just delivered the parable about sowing seeds – some seed gets eaten by birds and does not grow, some falls in rocky ground and cannot grow, some gets burned up by the sun, some is choked out by weeds, but some is in good soil and grows strong and plentiful plants. And this parable is kind of about speaking in parables.

The first reading tells of the people who turned away from God and defiled the land. They didn’t listen to his words. They turned to false gods. But when they do that, they only hurt themselves. Says the LORD, “Two evils have my people done: they have forsaken me, the source of living waters; They have dug themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no water.” The people have turned away from the true god who could provide for them and have created around them empty false gods. They were given the words but they did not listen and they turned away.

Jesus tells the disciples that he speaks in parables because, like the example of the seeds and the sower, not everyone who hears will listen. Not everyone who hears will understand. Some are like the people from the first reading who hear the word, but they turn away and defile the land like the seeds choked by weeds. Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see.  But there are some who will hear, and listen, and understand. The very disciples who are confused about his methods are the ones who can benefit from them. They are listening carefully and understanding the deeper meanings too and the symbolism. With the parables the disciples can understand the bigger context of Jesus’ words, and then help share that with others as well.

We need to be aware and be like the disciples who listen carefully and critically and not like the people who turn away from the true source. Let these words fall on us like the seeds in the good rich soil that will bring forth good and plentiful fruit.