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The parable of the sower of seeds is a very familiar
story to us in the gospel of Luke. Parables are stories which are
used to convey moral principles. I remember as a child that this was
a story that taught me about the importance of sowing seeds in good,
fertile ground where we are open to God’s word, although I am
not entirely sure that I knew how that applied to my everyday life.
Today, I can see more clearly how this parable speaks to me now.
The four conditions for the sowing of seed (path, rocky ground, thorns and good soil) all have something to say to me. The sowing of seed is the planting of God’s word in our life. When I think of sowing the seed on the path or trail, I think about how easy it is to get into a habitual routine of placing one foot in front of the other on our life’s path without any thought or reflection as to how to live with a generous and good heart. When I think about the rocky ground, where Jesus said, that seeds that fell upon the rocky ground withered from a lack of moisture, I think about the need to have roots to keep balanced in times of need. When emotion runs high and I stumble on the rocks it is difficult for me to find evidence of a generous and good heart. As we know, thorns are particularly challenging and unpredictable in the garden. They get caught in your socks and turn up when you least expect it. Jesus spoke in the parable that seeds sown among the thorns may end up choked just as we can be caught up in the temptations of everyday life. So how do I plant seeds in rich soil where God’s word can put down roots, thrive and grow and I can embrace it with a generous and good heart? For me, the challenge is to work towards being present in moment and mindful in my everyday life. While God may be present in all things in my life, if I am not aware and mindful of that presence, I am likely to be like the seeds on the path, in the rocks or in the thorns. Like a garden that needs to be tended to keep the soil rich, I too need to be mindful in preparing myself to hear, accept and act on God’s word. |