15th Sunday Ordinary Time – A – July 16, 2023
Most of today’s parable is about the soil. In the longer version, Jesus even gets into the weeds explaining the meaning of each type of ground. Clearly, we are meant to reflect on how receptive we are to God’s word. But I wonder if there is something more going on just beneath the surface of this familiar parable.
When we read from Luke’s Gospel last summer, we heard the parable of the prodigal son. Much of that story focuses on the younger son, reckless with his inheritance. But the story’s surprise is the father, excessive with his mercy. In a similar way, today’s Gospel passage from Matthew really should be called the parable of the prodigal sower.
Too often we are stingy with God’s love, judging the soil’s worthiness before opening our hands filled with seed. Click To TweetIf we have been commissioned by Christ to proclaim the Gospel, we must see ourselves in this sower, unflappable in the mission, squandering the seeds of God’s word no matter where that mission leads. Sow the seed on hardened path and rocky ground. Sow it upon thorns and drought-stricken fields. Sow the seed even when you know it will not take root, and do not be seduced by low-hanging fruit, planting only where a harvest is all but guaranteed.
Too often we are stingy with God’s love, judging the soil’s worthiness before opening our hands filled with seed. May we be prodigal sowers, and let God do the rest.
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