Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God

 

 Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.  

And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  "A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."  When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 

'Seeing they may not see,

And hearing they may not understand.'

"Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

 

- Luke 8:1–15 

 

Yesterday we read that one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him.  And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat.  And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.  Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner."  And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you."  So he said, "Teacher, say it."  "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors.  One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both.  Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?"    Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more."  And He said to him, "You have rightly judged."  Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman?  I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.  You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.  You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.  Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.  But to whom little is forgiven the same loves little."  Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."  And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"  Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you.  Go in peace."

 

 Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.  My study Bible notes that these women were faithful to Christ to the end (Luke 23:49, 55), and were the first to receive and proclaim the news of Christ's Resurrection (Luke 24:1-10).  In the Scriptures, it continues, the number seven often symbolizes totality and completeness.  So this indicates that Mary called Magdalene had been thoroughly given over to darkness before her healing.

 

 And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  "A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."  When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  Here Jesus gives His first parable, to a great multitude which had gathered from every city.  In all the Synoptic Gospels, the parable of the Sower is the first told by Jesus (Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20).  

Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that  'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'  Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.  My study Bible comments that as the sower in this parable, Christ fulfills the prophecy in Isaiah 55:10-13.  It says that while some might teach a person is permanently saved at the moment faith is professed -- a view never held by the historic Church -- the teaching of Jesus is clear that it is possible to believe for a while and then fall away.    Jesus tells the disciples, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that  'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'"  (See Isaiah 6:9.)  My study Bible explains that mysteries are not obscure intellectual concepts, but the presence of the Kingdom of God which cannot be defined.  It says that a person's unwillingness to understand Christ's parables is due to a rejection of His Kingdom.  St. John Chrysostom comments, "If the blindness were natural, it would have been proper for God to open their eyes; but because it was  a voluntary and self-chosen blindness, He does not overthrow their free will."  Doing so would have been not only to "no advantage for them, but an even greater condemnation."

 

 What stories do we know which tell us about our faith?  Jesus gives us stories in the form of parables.  These are memorable illustrations of the ways of the Kingdom, how the Kingdom works, and who Christ is.  As mentioned above, in all the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus begins His preaching in parables with the parable of the Sower, given in today's reading.  We also have Jesus' explanation for the parable.  Clearly, He is the Sower, and the seeds He sows are the gospel message.  Where will they fall?  If we think carefully about this parable (and about Jesus' words explaining it to His disciples), we'll come to see that we might fall anywhere on the spectrum of the ground He describes, at any time -- or at various periods of our lives.  Each of us knows seasons of the kinds of temptations and struggles Jesus describes.  First of all He describes the work of the adversary, the devil, reminding us that there are spiritual foes at work in the world, seeking to snatch away the word.  We all deal with temptations of various kinds; some we may harbor and nurture, others we do our best to refuse.  And then there are the times we may be choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life -- always with us and seemingly an integral part of our world.  Perhaps the demand for such is exacerbated and accelerated through modern technologies and means of communication, drowning out the word of God.  We need to seek out Christ's word, keeping it with us, energizing and enlivening it within ourselves to counter all of these effects.  But then there is the good ground, and one presumes that those who seek out that good word know that effect of the good ground within them and seek to nurture it.  Moreover we should note that, in Jesus' words, not only does this ask of us a noble and good heart, but we must also keep that word, and bear fruit with patience.  That "with patience" is important, for sometimes the fruits of our faith take time, and sometimes living the word takes patience with all the things in life that seek to get in the way.  Note that patience also implies that our effort is steady, over time.  As my study Bible noted, faith is not a one-time-only confession, but a life of lived effort.  Our path is for our lives, and for that we need the patience to understand the sustained nature of the faith Jesus speaks about.  But there is joy in the heart by living with this word, and the grace we're given helps and sustains.  My study Bible says that parables are word-pictures, given to us in images from daily life, meant to communicate the deep things of God.  It says that parables give us glimpses of Him whose thoughts are not our thoughts and whose ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).  Note in today's parable how Christ the Sower sows the word of God in the earth.  We need spiritual eyes and ears to hear and understand, but His word is here and present, seemingly awaiting us.  When life seems to be filled with piled up urgencies and needs, news of the day, and all manner of distraction, let's remember that His word is always awaiting us, and the depth of our hearts.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

 

 Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.

And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  "A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.   Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."  When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that

'Seeing they may not see,

And hearing they may not understand.'

"Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."

- Luke 8:1–15 

 

Yesterday we read that one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him.  And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat.  And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed then with the fragrant oil.  Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner."   And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you."  So he said, "Teacher, say it."  "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors.  One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both.  Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?"  Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more."  And He said to him, "You have rightly judged."  Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman?  I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.  You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.  You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.  Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.  But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."  Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."  And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"  Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you.  Go in peace."

 

 Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.   These verses appear almost as they are a direct a continuation from yesterday's reading, in which we read of the great love of this woman, a notorious sinner, came to anoint Christ's feet with expensive oil in a deep display of love and faith, and whose sins were forgiven by Christ.  The Gospel presents us with these other women who were so essential to Christ's ministry.  My study bible comments that these women were faithful to Christ to the end (Luke 23:49, 55), and they were the first to receive and proclaim the news of Christ's Resurrection (Luke 24:1-10).  In the Scriptures, my study bible teaches, the number seven often symbolizes totality and completeness, indicating that Mary called Magdalene had been thoroughly given over to darkness before her healing.  

And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  "A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.   Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."  When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  Here Jesus tells His first parable.  The parable of the Sower is given as Christ's first parable in all three Synoptic Gospels (see also Mark 4, Matthew 13).  At this stage in His ministry there is a great multitude gathered to hear Him, and they have come from every city to do so.  We have also just read of the women who support His ministry.  It is at this stage of great public attention that Christ shifts to teaching in parables, and gives this parable of the Sower first.  It is a parable about Himself and His ministry, a "word picture" with images from every day life in this agrarian society, given as a kind of riddle for people to seek to understand for themselves.  Thus Jesus says, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" alluding to Isaiah's prophecy, from which He quotes to the disciples in the verses that follow.  As the sower in the parable, He fulfills the prophecy in Isaiah 55:10-13. 

Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that  'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'"   Mysteries, my study bible explains, are not obscure intellectual concepts, but they are the presence of the Kingdom of God which cannot be defined.  It says that a person's unwillingness to understand Christ's parables is due to a rejection of His Kingdom.  St. John Chrysostom writes, "If the blindness were natural, it would have been proper for God to open their eyes; but because it was a voluntary and self-chosen blindness, He does not overthrow their free will."  To do so would have been not only to "no advantage for them, but an even greater condemnation."  Jesus quotes from Isaiah 6:9. 

"Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."  Here, Jesus explains the parable to the disciples, to those who are already committed to Him in faith.  My study bible asks us to note that while some might teach a person is permanently saved at the moment one professes faith -- a view which was never held by the historic Church -- the teaching of Jesus is clear that it's possible to believe for a while and then fall away.  

 

 My study bible tells us that the Hebrew and Aramaic words for parable also mean "allegory," "riddle," or "proverb."  These stories, which consist of images drawn from daily life in the world, are meant to represent and communicate the deep things of God.  It says that parables give us "glimpses of Him whose thoughts are not our thoughts and whose ways are not our ways" (Isaiah 55:8-9).   Just as important to our understanding that this is the way Christ has chosen to communicate is the fact that not everybody is going understand the parables.  This is built in to this style of teaching.  Why would Christ teach in ways that not everybody is going to understand?  In a world that is filled with all kinds of information -- so often irrelevant to our lives or professions -- why would someone, intent on public preaching, choose to do so in a way that is going to be obscure to at least some of His listeners?  That is a very important question.  As the parable itself indicates, so much about our faith also depends on us.  That is, we, the faithful.  Jesus' parable of the Sower speaks of struggles, of difficulties that come from the world and get in the way of faith -- things against which a believer struggles.  First there is the devil, who comes to those who've heard and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  Then there are those people who receive Christ's word with joy, but in whom it doesn't take deep root -- therefore, they believe for a short time, but when they're tempted, they fall away.  And then there are the thorns of this world.  Jesus gives an image of people who've heard the word, but are then choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  The "cares, riches, and pleasures of life" are always with us, perhaps now more than ever, reaching into all economic strata on some level or another.  These things are presented by Jesus as that which takes away our attention and time from living and doing and fulfilling His word, because we are choked with these goals and distractions, pursuing what does not bear spiritual fruit.  I see this as a great struggle of modern life, technological advancement, and prosperity levels not seen in the world in times past.  Finally Jesus says, "But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."   Let us note that even with a noble and good heart, there is a struggle here, because we bear fruit only with patience.  In the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus teaches, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."  If we read the Sermon on the Plain carefully (as well as the Sermon on the Mount), we see that Christ means a "good and noble heart" not as something we're either born with or not, but something we work at, build, protect, and nurture through time.  We are to take note, cultivate an awareness of our own flaws, and take decisive action to cast them aside.  Jesus does not present us with a world in which we are asked to simply "believe" and then everything will fall into place.   Neither is belief something that is handed to us like a child being spoon-fed.  Rather, these truths -- which are, importantly, mysteries -- are given to us through parables.  We are called upon to respond in order to derive benefit from them.  We are called to discipleship to cultivate a life in which these seeds can grow and bear fruit through nurturing, pruning, discernment, and support.  But front and center is Christ's commentary:  "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  We are called upon to care about what He's teaching, to have a particular type of ears, attuned to hear the things of spiritual importance, to care enough to want what He's offering.  These things He's teaching in the parables are called mysteries because they point to something beyond themselves, to a deeper reality that is beyond the surface and behind the words.  He is Jesus, and He is teaching important things.  But He is also the Son of God, Second Person of the Trinity, and He's seeking to initiate us (that is, those who really want what He offers) into a communion of saints, a hierarchy of the divine, the things that will make us grow in stature and likeness to Him, and to be able to share in this communion that extends throughout a universe of creation we can't see.  It is an invitation into love and depth and a communion of wisdom and beauty, and this is what is on offer in the parables.  But we have to really, really want this.  We have to care about it, be drawn to it, into faith and trust and love.  And we have to want what's good.  We might be called but there are also those who are chosen.  We bear fruit through real desire, and through patience, and through following this word, keeping it precious, and working at it every day through the difficulties that come in spite of our faith, and maybe even because of it.  That is where He calls us, but can you hear and see it?  Let us take note of some of His most devoted followers, named in the first verses in today's reading.  They are women, and include Mary Magdalene, one who was given over completely to darkness.  At a certain point in the West, she somehow got assigned the label of prostitute, but this was never true in the East.  We don't really know how "darkness" was expressed in her life, only that Christ cast out seven demons -- and she became one of His greatest followers, and was given the title Apostle to the Apostles.  Those who truly desire what He offers cannot be defined by labels and appearance but are discerned through the heart, and through love of Christ.  Let us remember!

To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables

 Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.

And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  "A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."  When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that

'Seeing they may not see,
And hearing they may not understand.'

Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and the pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."

- Luke 8:1-15

Yesterday we read that one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him.  And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat.  And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.  Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner."  And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you."  So he said, "Teacher, say it."  "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors.  One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both.  Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?"  Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more."  And He said to him, "You have rightly judged."  Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman?  I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.  You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.  You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.  Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.  But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."  Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."  And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"  Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you.  Go in peace."

Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.  These women noted by Luke were faithful to Christ to the end (23:49, 55).  They were the first to proclaim the news of His Resurrection (24:1-10).  My study bible also reminds us that in the Scriptures, the number seven often symbolizes totality and completeness, indicating here that Mary called Magdalene had been thoroughly given over to darkness before her healing by Christ.  These women did not only support Christ alone, but His entire ministry.

And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  "A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."  When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"   Jesus introduces teaching in parables here at this point in Luke's Gospel.  The parable of the Sower is also the first parable introduced in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark (Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20).  The teaching in parables indicates a kind of turning point in Jesus' ministry.  It tells us now that great multitudes are following Him, and that includes those who are not disciples and also who will reject Him.  We have just read about a woman, a notorious sinner, who was forgiven and is clearly devoted to Him (see yesterday's reading, above).  But this level of discipleship also demands a level of faith, or perhaps we should say spiritual hearing, that others will not find.   Parable ask of us to be capable of truly hearing, and reach us on whatever level we can (or cannot) understand.  And they serve to draw us into the Kingdom, to find more, to open up mystery.  The parable of the Sower is, of course, the parable that teaches us about Christ Himself, and His work of the Kingdom in the world, and the seeds He is planting.  he fulfills the prophecy in Isaiah 55:10-13.

 Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'  Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and the pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."   Mysteries are not obscure intellectual concepts, says my study bible, but rather they are the presence of the Kingdom of God which cannot be defined.  A person's unwillingness to understand or receive Christ's parables is due to a rejection of His Kingdom.  St. John Chrysostom comments, "If the blindness were natural, it would have been proper for God to open their eyes; but because it was a voluntary and self-chosen blindness, He does not overthrow their free will."  To do so would not only have been to "no advantage for them, but an even greater condemnation."   My study bible notes also that while some might teach a person is permanently saved at the moment of the profession of faith -- a view not held by the historical the Church -- the teaching of Jesus is clear that it is possible to believe for a while and then fall away.

"But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."  My study bible emphasizes the teaching in the words here, especially "with patience."  This is no one-time "hallelujah, I'm saved" kind of commitment.  This is something that endures within us, that is not battered away by time or the other concerns of the world.  It dwells within us like a seed planted deep.  We may see its fruit at times, we may not see what seems like anything of progress at all at times.  We may forget it's even within us at other times.  But to hear the word with a noble and good heart, to keep it and bear fruit with patience is to live a life of true faith.  That is a faith that we turn to when we need to make choices and decisions, when we need help, when we need something to rely on.  It is a faith we turn to when we look for direction, and when we look for love.  It is a faith that calls us in the heart.  In it there is a depth of longing.  We note that in Christ's explanation to His disciples there is a list of things about the world that can take away the seed and uproot the word in the heart.  There's the devil that takes away the word before it can take root.  There are temptations.  There are the cares, riches, and pleasures of life.  All of these things are present with us all the time.  The road of faith isn't meant to be one of pure ease.  It is, rather, one in which we face all kinds of obstacles to that faith and in which we may struggle with those obstacles.  Thus, the need for patience.  Toward the end of His ministry, Jesus will speak more to His disciples of the simple need for endurance and watchfulness.  Faith isn't a one-time goal we take care of and then we're done with it.  It is, rather, something that comes to us repeatedly throughout life, asking us to question what we're hearing or thinking or receiving.  It reminds us that there's a way to live in God's love, a way to find what it is we're looking for at the root of identity.  Every moment, we're a new person, and time does not stand still for us in the sense that life goes on to ask of us new things, new questions, present us with changed situations and circumstances.  But that which takes root and grows asks of us to turn back to it through all these things, to do the work of struggle and discernment and bearing fruit with patience, to be that good soil that allows the Kingdom to be harbored and nurtured within us and in our lives, so that we will always be those who have ears to hear.  At each new turn in our lives we may find that the same word gives us new insights, and new fruit, and new choices.  Thus, the mysteries of the Kingdom unfold, expand, invite us further.  This is the work of patience and endurance for all of us.