Sower, Seed or Soil? (Matthew 13: 1-13.)

While in Israel last September, our tour guide took us to the bank of the Sea of Galilee, in a location probably pretty similar to the shore where Jesus spoke the parable of the sower and the seed. It was not a typically touristy place. In fact it was sort of primitive even by Israeli standards. Within an arms length of each other were a hard packed path, very rocky ground, thorns and very fertile soil. I could visualize Jesus pointing these places out as He told His listeners this parable. I realized then Jesus probably used "show and tell" to help His first listeners get the point.

The parable of the sower and the seed is one that appears in different forms in the first three Gospels. So it seems that is one that the Gospel writers remembered as important to their readers and hearers. These first disciples were inspired enough by this parable as to live it out. They were definitely the seed that landed on good soil. Because of their willingness to let the Word of God take root and grow within them, they spread His love, acceptance and forgiveness to every corner of the world. All of the Christians and their churches throughout the world are a testimony to the those Christians who have lived before us willing to be the seed in good soil. They have helped God produce a hundred fold multiplied by countless generations.

BUT, I have a problem with Jesus' explanation of the parable in the last part of the reading we have for this Sunday. He explains to the disciples that the seed that landed on the path didn't take root, that the seed that landed on rocky ground barely took root and was short lived, and that the seeds that fell among the thorns eventually got choked out by them. Only the seed that fell on good soil produced abundantly. I understand that. But, what if you are in thorny, rocky or concrete hard circumstances in your life? Is there no hope to be productive evangelizers in the tough circumstances of your life? Many of the saints of our heritage have definitely been God's heralds and compassion in some very awful life situations. St. Vincent de Paul saw babies, children and mothers barely living and often dying in 17th century France. He was even imprisoned and made a slave for a while because of his commitment to being good seed in awful soil for the sake of helping God's hopeless millions. He is just one of thousands of saints who were able to produce "a hundred fold" times hundreds while in rocky, thorny, or impossible places.

So, how do I make since of the explanation found in Matthew's Gospel?  It helps to know that the first versions of the parables given by Jesus did not include explanations. Explanations came later, probably by the evangelists, to help their communities to get a point that they were trying to make for the faith communities that they were writing the Gospels for. Almost all scripture experts agree to this. Jesus didn't explain the parables. He just sowed them. Where they landed, they landed. The people got them and were probably shocked by them. Mustard seed was a weed. There was no way that it could be big enough to provide shade and homes for birds. Jews were forbidden to use leaven in their dough. No good Jewish woman would even think of adding it to their bread. Seed never produced thirty, sixty or a hundred fold. A yield of ten times would have been a bumper crop. So, this and most of the parables are about the power of God and the Kingdom of God. God CAN make something out of nothing. God can make weeds perform as if they were trees. He can turn something forbidden and "evil" into good. And God can grow lots of wheat any darned place He wills it!

God's fertile soil can be anywhere. Even if we think our lives are thorny, rocky or hard God can still do amazing things with us. What we perceive as impossible situations and circumstances, God can make abundant and full of life. Yes, some of us live in awful situations and face seemingly impossible difficulties. But the compassionate power of God is bigger than the crap we may be facing.

Allow your mind, heart and life to be open to God's possibilities!