In parables


REFLECTIONS TODAY

Gird your loins

Jesus has established the foundation of his new family: listening to God’s word and doing his will (Mk 3:34). Now, he tells the parable of the Sower to those “inside” his family—his disciples—to illustrate that by hearing the word of God and accepting it, they provide a rich soil for it to produce a plentiful harvest. 


In the parable, a hired servant or tenant farmer struggles with hostile conditions. Much of the seed is “wasted,” but the effort and the risk are rewarded by the fruitful harvest from the seed that falls on rich soil. 


The impossible yields are typical of the cultural hyperbole. Normally, a good yield is between two- and fivefold. This may be true of the produce of the land, but it is different with the “seed” that Jesus sows on human hearts. Indeed, Jesus sows “in excess”: he does not hold back or fear “wasting” his grace on arid and unresponsive hearts. He knows that his patience and grace will eventually produce the desired harvest. 


Jesus is a patient and wise teacher. He bears with those who do not easily understand his point, or misunderstand it altogether. He uses parables or similitudes with striking images so that his nonsophisticated audience can relate to his message. 
This manner of speaking brings the Word of God inside the world of workaday life, making it fruitful. What do you “sow” in people’s hearts and people’s lives? Are you able to see the “good fruits” of your efforts?
 

Gospel • Mark 4:1-20 


On another occasion Jesus began to teach by the sea. A very large crowd gathered around him so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down. And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land. And he taught them at length in parables, and in the course of his instruction he said to them, “Hear this! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 


Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.” 


And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables. He answered them, “The mystery of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that they may look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but not understand, in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.”


Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them. 


And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy. But they have no root; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 


Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit 30 and 60 and a hundredfold.”

 

Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2025,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.