Therefore hear the parable of the sower

"Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."

- Matthew 13:18-23

In the readings of the past two days, Jesus has given us the parable of the Sower. In the first reading (on Tuesday), he taught us (and the multitudes of people) the parable. See Behold, a sower went out to sow. In yesterday's reading, the disciples asked Him, "Why do you speak in parables?" Jesus quoted from Isaiah, and He told them that to the disciples it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom, but not to all the multitudes. He said, "For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." Therefore, He said, the prophesy of Isaiah is fulfilled: Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive.

"Therefore hear the parable of the sower: . . ." Jesus continues explaining to His disciples; first, in yesterday's reading, the purpose of the teaching in parables. Next, in today's reading, He begins to explain the parable of the sower itself. Jesus Himself is the sower.

"When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside." We recall Jesus' telling of the parable. The analogy to the "wicked one" is the birds who devoured the seed that fell by the wayside. In the Greek, the word for "wicked" here is poneros. There are many connotations to this word for evil or the evil one -- among them is pain, and laborious toil. So, as we've noticed before in Matthew's gospel, we are once again in the territory of an oppressive rule, of pain and hard labor. In this case, those who do not understand seem to be lost in this oppressive kingdom of harsh rule.

"But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles." Again, there is the interference of "the world" (and its harsh ruler) with "the word" or the seed. To what degree does tribulation and persecution take away what we have? How deep is our capacity for faith? The words here are also interesting to think about: stony indicates a kind of hardness (as in hardness of heart, lack of understanding) that is scattered through this soil. "Tribulation" is like an inner sense of pressure, being in a narrow space, a feeling of being without options. But it also has a strong connotation of sorrow. So, as Jesus indicates it is a kind of conflict, both internal and external (persecution) that interferes with the word or seed taking root.

"Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful." The "cares of the world" include anxiety and worry, the things that fragment our will. The "deceitfulness of riches" indicates the faith we may put in material things to resolve our problems, to give us a sense of well-being, but that turn out to be false promises, things we cannot count on after all. It's an indication of putting faith in things that aren't worth it (including anxieties and worries), deliver false promises, don't give us the things we really need. Worry, anxiety, faith in the false promises and deceit of the purely material alone (without God's understanding for guidance of its use and acquisition) also describe characteristics of this false and oppressive kingdom, which takes us away from the food and things of which we truly have need, that nurture body, soul and spirit.

"But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." To understand is to consider something seriously, to take it in, to make it a part of one's life and choices in life. Jesus will continually return to the need for the faithful, for His children, to produce good fruit. And this is the way it's done, in good soil, by taking the word seriously, and making it a part of ourselves, in wholeness (and thereby, healing -- see yesterday's reading for more on this). We contrast this with the "fragmenting" nature of the "wicked" -- deceitfulness, false faith, worries and anxiety, sorrow, toil, pain and oppression. To seriously take in this word, on the other hand, is to build up oneself, to make whole.

Let us consider, then, the nature of faith as shown by this parable. The sower sows, and where does the seed fall? Do we allow the oppressive nature of what we may find in the world to choke it out of us, to take this word and cast it away from us? Do we lose ourselves in the reality of the oppressive forces -- internal and external -- we might encounter? Do we seek wholeness and healing or allow ourselves to be fractured and fragmented by all the cares and tribulations we may find in the kingdom of the "oppressive" ruler? At some level, it seems to me, we all encounter all four of these conditions, and we may do so in varying degrees and times throughout our lives. We may receive new challenges to our faith for which we are to be prepared and warned. One of these things or another may come our way, interfere with the word -- with new ways Christ may be calling to us for example. So the process of a deepening and strong faith is all important. And therefore it is important that we take care how we hear this word and let it grow within ourselves, and that we understand the things that may interfere with it as well. Into the oppressive kingdom of "the ruler of this world" comes the sower. How do we take care that His word takes root in us, and thus produces fruits worthy of His kingdom? This is the question. Can you hear the word? Can you let it take root? It is always there, on offer to us! We don't all produce the same amount of fruits, but we all have a chance to do so.