GOSPEL REFLECTION, FRIDAY, 16TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, 24 JULY 2026

Matthew 13:1-8.  The parable of the Sower is one that must be ingrained in our memories from all the times we have heard it.  The Church in her wisdom, however, presents us with this parable on a regular basis, because what it says is critical to our spiritual growth. 

First of all, our translation refers to “a Sower went out to sow,” but the Greek text clearly says, “THE Sower,” by which we understand this parable is about Jesus and his mission to reveal the Father and the Kingdom of God.  The revelation that Jesus discloses about God and his Kingdom is likened to seed which are scattered.  Now seeds are capable of being fertile and producing tremendous growth many times their size.  Some seed fell on hard ground, incapable of producing growth, and in fact were devoured by those entities and forces which can prevent seed from germinating.  Those entities (‘birds,’ in the parable) are not only ‘birds’ outside us, but ‘birds’ internal to us which distort fertile seed (the Word of God) from germinating within us and producing great spiritual growth.  We note that elsewhere in the gospels a full harvest ripe and abundant is a frequent image Jesus uses for the Kingdom of God.  Other seed fell on rocky ground without enough soil to sustain the seed in the first place.  The seed may begin to grow there but then withers quickly.  Incidentally, fertile soil is called ‘humus,’ a word related to ‘humility.’  Unlike rocky infertile ground, a humble heart is open, receptive, and capable of sustaining  considerable spiritual growth.  Other seed fell among ‘thorny ground,’ a ground filled with distractions and forces hostile to growth which ‘choked’ the seed.  However, other seed fell on good open ground (humus; see above) capable of supporting growth and producing a spiritual harvest up to a hundred-fold.  Jesus ends the parable saying, “let anyone with ears to hear, listen!”  There we have it!

Are we open, fertile, receptive in humility to Jesus’ revelation of God the  Father and his Kingdom?  Or are we like hard, unreceptive ground which allows his revelation to be scattered by illusions, delusions, refusals to receive?  Or are we like thorny ground, hostile, and capable of ‘choking’ the Word?  Or are we open fertile ‘humus’ (see above), capable not only of germinating the seeds of revelation we are given, but of producing a tremendous spiritual harvest?  Jesus’ revelation of the Father and his Kingdom is a gift of grace, given at the Father’s will, undeserved, but freely given.  In Catholic teaching, that grace can fall on barren, infertile, hostile, thorny ground.  God’s grace requires willing open, receptive hearts capable of immense spiritual growth.