Gospel Lk 8:4-15

When a large crowd gathered, with people from one town after another journeying to Jesus, he spoke in a parable. "A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path and was trampled, and the birds of the sky ate it up. Some seed fell on rocky ground, and when it grew, it withered for lack of moisture. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew, it produced fruit a hundredfold." After saying this, he called out, "Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear." Then his disciples asked him what the meaning of this parable might be. He answered, "Knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you; but to the rest, they are made known through parables so that they may look but not see, and hear but not understand. "This is the meaning of the parable. The seed is the word of God. Those on the path are the ones who have heard, but the Devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts that they may not believe and be saved. Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, but they have no root; they believe only for a time and fall away in time of temptation. As for the seed that fell among thorns, they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along, they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life, and they fail to produce mature fruit. But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance."

Reflection:

God always amazes me how he aims straight for the heart. The seed is the Word. The soil is our heart. The heart that hardens or veers away from its initial Godly desire or simply fills with things not of God, leaves the Word ineffective. On the other hand, the heart filled with love and generosity will have the courage and strength to persevere. It hears the holy words of our Creator and Savior and places it inside. Our hearts need certain conditions just as a seed requires particular elements to spring to life and bear fruit. When the temperature is warm enough and it has been watered, a seed will sprout. Of course, the seed needs more water and light to continue to grow. Our hearts flourish when it receives the warmth of love, the water of the Spirit and the light of Christ. How are we preparing our hearts in prayer to receive the Word?