A Beacon Of Light… Parables Tell Us How To Grow In The Spiritual Life
By FR. RICHARD D. BRETON
Welcome back to our journey with the Lord Jesus and the disciples, as we hear the parables and the importance they have for our times. In last week’s column, we heard the Parable of the Lamp and how the lamp is not to be buried under a bushel basket, but instead, is meant to shine forth brightly. Because each of us is illuminated by the Light of Christ, it makes it possible for us to receive, and hopefully understand, all that God has revealed to us.
Today we hear the Parable of the Sower, or Four Soils. Here is the parable as it appears in all three of the Synoptic Gospels:
“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then He told them many things in parables, saying: ‘A farmer went out to sow his seed. As He was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop — a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear’” (Matt. 13:1, Mark 4:1, Luke 8:1).
Through the parables, God brings us one step closer to understanding how we are to grow in the spiritual life. In fact, we could say this is a “growth parable” where we are stretched and challenged. One of the responsibilities Jesus had on Earth was to help the Chosen People, and eventually all people, to grow in their understanding regarding who God is. In order for this to happen, there needed to be a way for God to communicate with us. This is done through “The Word” that is spoken from the mouth of God.
Again, we see how the spoken Word of God plays a pivotal role in our relationship with Him. In the beginning it was the “Word” that was spoken, and creation happened. In the Incarnation, it was the spoken Word that “became flesh” and in the person of Jesus Christ, it was His public ministry and the parables that were instruments of the “Word” that helped to establish our faith in God.
When we look at the parable of the sower we are introduced to a farmer who goes out and plants seed that will eventually flourish into something like grain, wheat, or flowers. The sower represents God Himself. It is God who sows the seed of faith in the lives of the faithful. The parable continues, however, saying that as the sower goes out and sows, the seed falls on various kinds of terrain.
First it falls on the path, where the birds come by and eat it up. Some seed fell on the rocky terrain where it had no soil to grab hold of, and so it sprang up quickly and the heat of the scorching sun burned it because it had no roots. Some seed fell amid thorn bushes which grew up and choked the seedlings. Finally, some seed fell on fertile soil where it produced a crop of a hundred, sixty, or thirty times of what was initially sown. Then Jesus finishes the parable by saying: “Whoever has ears let them hear.”
Looking at the parable we can see how Jesus is speaking to everyone, each within their own journey of faith. And because He ends by telling us to use our ears to hear, this parable is important. So, let’s take a moment to look at what Jesus is saying.
First, He mentions seed that falls along the path and is swept away by the birds eating it. An example of this would be those who use the Sacraments of Baptism and Marriage just because it is the right thing to do, but after having received the sacraments they disappear, and we never see them again. Sadly, this happens so many times because many have lost the importance of their faith in the chaos and noise that surround them. This chaos and noise hinder the “seed of faith” from finding a place to take root in their lives.
Thorns And Rocky Terrain
Next, Jesus mentions the rocky terrain where the seed has no foundation to grab hold of it, flourishes quickly and then it dies by the heat of the circumstances. In this scenario, one example that comes to mind would be converts to the faith. For them, oftentimes they are zealous and go through the preparation needed, but because they lack a fundamental understanding of the Truths of the Faith, soon their zeal is replaced by uncertainty and fear, causing them to fall away.
In the next example, Jesus uses the image of thorns which grew and choked the seedlings. The image Jesus uses here reminds me of society today. So often, society, and the flawed culture of our times, are the thorns that poke us and eventually choke the faith out of so many of the faithful. Why do I say this? Well, I say this because we see it on an almost daily basis. Our society has ripped anything Godly, or spiritual, from us. There are so many examples we can use. One in particular is the influx of anti-religious and satanic cults that are infiltrating our school systems. These groups constantly “poke” society with thorns of confusion and indifference making it hard to find the correct path to follow.
As this emerges more and more, the anti-God mentality begins to prick our youth with the thorns of confusion and mistruths. We see this currently in how the thorns of transgender issues are pricking our young people, and how for some, the thorns not only penetrate, but choke their entire understanding of the beautiful gift of their creation.
This, my friends, is one of the biggest battles we face in our times. This too can be transformed into the seed that eventually fell on the good soil where it flourished abundantly and produced many plentiful harvests. This is possible, but only, if we regain control of the responsibilities God has invited us to participate in.
Be The Fertile Soil
Lastly, in the parable Jesus speaks about the seed that flourishes because it finds the fertile soil needed for it to grow. What is interesting about all of this is the fact that the fertile place for the seed of faith to grow resides in each one of us. Enabling the seed to flourish depends on us; we are the place where the seed of faith must grow.
Jesus calls us to listen, listen to the voice of the farmer who sows the seed of faith within. The question is…are we going to allow our faith to be swept away, to sprout up and get scorched by the heat of our times, to be poked by the evil thorns that exist in society and then be choked away, or are we going to be the fertile soil needed for the message of Jesus Christ to take root and become central to our daily lives? Within each of us our faith can flourish a hundred, fifty, or thirty, times more if we remain faithful to our relationship with the Lord.
Maybe it’s time for us to allow the Lord to re-sow the seed of faith within us!