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 lands in good soil and grows strong and plentiful plants. This parable is kind of about speaking in parables.

The first reading tells of rain and snow falling on the earth making it fertile and fruitful. The precipitation nourishes the earth before it returns to the sky through evaporation. That’s sort of a parable of Jesus who came to earth to teach and nourish his people before returning to the heavens.

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 people hear the word, but they turn away and defile the land like the seeds choked by weeds. But there are some who will hear, and listen, and understand. They are the good soil and the words of the Lord are the seeds that will bear good fruit. “The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower.” 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 as well as 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. Let these words fall on us like the seeds in the good rich soil that will bring forth good and plentiful fruit.