The Parable of the Sower

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears,[a] let him hear.”

The Parable of the Sower is a well-known one. It actually shows up in all three of the Synoptic Gospels - this version is from Matthew 13: 1-23.

When the Apostles asked for an explanation, Jesus provided one.

18 “Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart; this is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.[c] 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” 

The meaning remains true to this day.

The evil one is still looking to snatch away the word. Just look at our culture, and all it does to draw us from Church and from living out our faith. Entertainment and social media are two devices he uses. A priest I encountered suggested we all look at our own social media habits, and ask ourselves if we are spending more time on social media than on prayer and in reading the Scriptures and spiritual works. There are so many other ways he snatches us away, often without us even being aware. 

The shallow soil metaphor still resonates. How many are born into families that don't really practice the faith? In recent years, only about 25 percent of people who identify as Catholics regularly attend Mass, for example. That is shallow soil. How many attend public schools where faith is at best ignored, and at worst is ridiculed and undermined - trends that continue through college. Shallow soil indeed. How many exist in social circles that downplay faith or morality? Shallow soil that does not nourish spiritual growth or spiritual life.

We are surrounded by thorns today - all the temptations of contemporary society that conflict with and draw us away from the faith. Some are based on the Seven Deadly Sins. Greed. Materialism. Gluttony.  Pre-marital and extra-marital sex. Pornography. Homosexuality - practicing of it, and accepting it. Birth control. Sloth. Violence. And more.

These sins are often called personal or lifestyle choices. We justify them by saying my conscience says it's okay - forgetting that that conscience has to be well-formed first.

C.S. Lewis pointed to these thorns in his book, The Screwtape Letters. As he noted, the Devil often uses small things, seemingly innocent things at first to draw us in and break down our resistance.

“Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts ..." 

Sadly, we often fail to heed the warnings Jesus gave us in this parable, or when he warned us many are called but few a chosen. We may be baptized, confirmed, ordained, born again, yet many of us will not enter Heaven because we failed to live our faith, and instead followed the ways of the world.   

So what do we do so the seed grows?

We need to surround ourselves with nourishing spiritual soil - Scripture, good books, regular church attendance, prayer time, spiritually healthy activities, good companions. We need to do our best to avoid the thorns of this world - improper activities, bad companions, sources of temptation.

That means we need to look at how we spend our time, and with whom we spend that time. That might mean ending some activities and separating ourselves from some companions.

As for those who are snared early - they still have choices. They can still turn to the right path. God never abandons us: He is there waiting, sending hints and people our way. 

And if we know people who have been snatched away, or whose faith has not been nourished, or who have fallen prey to thorns, we who are sincerely trying to follow the Lord need to reach out to them, to support them, to encourage them.

Thus can we, by the power of God, bear fruit - one hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.

Pax et bonum