Posted by The WORD in other words (2013) by Sister Frances Grace Solis SSpS – Immaculate Conception Academy, Batac, Ilocus Norte
Wednesday 16th Week in Ordinary Time
At the end of ten months, usually teachers will announce the honor students, those who excel in their academics and extra-curricular activities. Why are there honor students, while others hardly can’t get to the required passing mark when they are in the same school, generally taught by the same teachers under the same curriculum?
In the Parable of the Sower, as narrated in the Gospel today, there are several factors which caused the seed, sown by the same sower, to give different amount of yields. Reflecting on the said parable, we can say that the Sower is God, the seed is God’s Word, and the soil, his audience. We are his audience.
There are people who think that they can go on living without Jesus. They want to live their own way. They dislike any help offered to them that would hinder what they like to do freely. They have a wrong notion of freedom; for them, serving Jesus is a hindrance to live freely. These people may be the “path” audience.
There are also those who believe in Jesus, receive his Word enthusiastically, but because it does not take deep roots, they don’t persevere but easily lose heart and give up especially when they are beset with challenges and trials in life. They may be the “rocky ground” audience.
There are those who know Jesus but have no time nor interest to love the lost, the last and the least in society for they themselves are so much engrossed in worldly cares. They may be the “thorns” audience.
There are people who, in good and in bad times, willingly accept the person of Jesus, his Gospel values, his will, his mission. Their life is deeply rooted in him. These are the “good soil” audience, the one which bears fruits in abundance. Which audience can we classify or identify ourselves with?
By virtue of our baptism, we are children of the same Father, brothers and sisters of the same Son of God, and dwelling place of the same Holy Spirit. Like the learners who receive different marks at the end of the school year, we also yield different fruits in our life depending on our openness, receptivity, and wholehearted acceptance of and cooperation with the grace of God and concretely living out his will and priorities as modeled to us by the Word made flesh.
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