Posted by The WORD in other words (2018) by Fr Renato Tampol SVD – Divine Word College of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro
Saturday 24th Week in Ordinary Time
Whenever Jesus likes to elucidate a point, he uses parables to explain it. In using parables, he also makes use of the things people can relate with.
In the gospel today, he talks about the seed and the sower – a reality his listeners can connect with – to show how the Word of God would be fruitful with people’s participation.
There are four types of ground where the seeds fell. Seed that fell on the pathway is like the Word of God that easily disappears because we are so anxious of many things that we are unable to let the Word of God bear fruit in us.
The seed that fell on rocky ground is like those who attend a Life in the Spirit Seminar, or any spiritual renewal undertaking. Once graduated, they, filled with the Holy Spirit, are so eager to share the new experience with others. Whatever they do always ends with “Praise the Lord” or “Amen” which is good. However, after sometime, the novelty slowly fades away; they start to be absent during prayer meetings and even Sunday masses – backsliding and going back to their old ways.
The third seed that fell among thorns is like the one who receives the Word of God but fails to bear fruit because of his/her personal baggage. He/she cannot let go of so many things in life, be it material wealth, current personal struggles, traumatic past experiences and so many things. When one is full of her/himself, there is no space for the Word of God in his/her heart.
The seed that fell on rich soil grew and produced a hundredfold. This means that one receives the Word of God maturely. His mind and heart are synchronized. We can relate it to the gospel proclamation during mass.The faithful make the sign of the cross on the forehead (to understand the gospel), on the lips (to share or preach what they understand), on the chest (to live the gospel). When the Word of God goes to the heart, it bears fruit abundantly by way of helping others, the essence of Christianity.
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