The Parable of the Sower

When reading the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-23) there were some lines that really stood out for me, for instance:

8~But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.

9~ Whoever has ears ought to hear.

The sower having his many seeds did not just sow them in one place. He sowed them in different places to test where he would be able to

bear fruit. Though he may have "lost" those seeds that did not fall on the rich soil (because they did not bear fruit), he gained in abundance

from just the few that fell upon rich soil.

I wonder how can we be sure which is the soil that will bear fruit if we are not trying in different places. Often we get comfortable and want to take an "easy" route because it feels "safer". We end up putting all our eggs in one basket and if that basket just happens not to be rich soil we lose all that we have. We often do no want to take risks in life..we don't want to invest our time in getting to know others, we end up just sticking to the people we feel comfortable around. We do not want to invest money we've earned because we feel we have worked so hard for it that we do not want to take any chances by investing into something that is unknown to us. Even with our thoughts we are "careful" as as not to "offend" anyone so no one gets to hear how we really feel and the valuable insight that lies within every one of us goes unexpressed.

12~to anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13~ this is why I speak to them in parables, because 'they look but do not see and hear but not listen or understand.

How many of us go through our "phases" with God. I know I sure do. Sometimes we feel close to Him and sometimes we don't. Sometimes we "question" the word of God and some days we feel strong in Faith. How many of us often become distracted by sin (anything that takes our focus from God)-we begin to compare ourselves to others-we start to let other people's opinions and comments get the best of us-we start feeling like we are not where we supposed to be-we start blaming others for the way that we feel, even God. Basically, we lose sight of God's will-of the plans He has for us. We lost focus of all the goodness in our lives. We reach a point where we don't even know what happened to us. Where did we go wrong? What happened to the joy we were feeling in our hearts while it was at one with God? I have found myself there many times and still struggle with it.

19~The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart.

Spanish translation: 19~Si no escucha la palabra del Reino sin entenderla, viene el maligno y roba lo sembrado en su corazon.

BOTTOM LINE:

It is a privilege to be a disciple of God.

16~But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Since a parable is figurative speech that demands reflection for understanding, only those who are prepared to explore its meaning can come to know it. To understand is a gift from God, granted to the disciples but not the crowds.

-NAB