FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, July 16, 2023
(Isaiah 55:10-11; Romans 8:18-23; Matthew 13:1-23)
The gospel today presents us with one of the best-known
parables, the Sower and the Seed. However, it is not well understood, at least
in the way that the Gospel according to Saint Matthew has it. To understand
what is taking place, you have to take into account another parable. In the
Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells his disciples, “’do not cast your pearls before
swine”. That is, they must not reveal the mysteries of the Kingdom of God to
those who would mock them. In the Gospel of Matthew avoiding this abuse is why
Jesus speaks in parables.
We meet Jesus preparing to preach. Many come to hear him.
Among them are people with the intention of learning from Jesus and also people
who despise him. The evil-intentioned are like today's internet trolls who
follow social media to make offensive posts. They see Jesus with envy because
he is very popular among the people. The well-intentioned, by contrast, see
Jesus as the word of God that comes from heaven in the first reading. What
Saint Paul says in the second reading can be applied to them. They have the first
fruits of the Holy Spirit and groan inwardly to know the whole truth.
“…a sower went out to sow…” Jesus is comparing his preaching
of the Kingdom of God with the farmer sowing seeds. Having heard this parable
many times, we know that it has to do with the kind of listening that different
people give to his word. But Jesus' disciples have a hard time understanding
its meaning. Therefore, his disciples approach Jesus with the question: “'Why
do you speak in parables?'” The disciples hear the parables as riddles, not
illustrative descriptions of the Kingdom. Then Jesus explains his purpose with
reference to the prophet Isaiah. People have already closed their hearts to
repentance. It's not worth trying to teach them. It is like “casting pearls
before swine”. We might say, "It's like spitting in the wind."
Let's hope we're not so closed-minded. We have to examine
our disposition towards Jesus with the categories that he proposes here. Are we
like the terrain of the road that resists the penetration of the word of God?
He has in mind hardened criminals like child-traffickers. If we are like this,
we will easily be led astray by the devil. Perhaps we are like rocky ground
that does not support the plant taking root. Many who attend the Cursillo or
the Road to Emmaus leave the experience very excited, but soon lose their
fervor. If it is the same in our case, with some probability we will stop
following Jesus the first time he presents us with a difficulty. Or it is
possible that we are like land full of thorns, that is having other interests
such as money and pleasure competing with the desire to follow Christ. If we
are like this, maybe in a short time we will lose interest in practicing our faith.
Or are we like “rich soil” that nurtures growth as we expend efforts to follow
the ways of the Lord? If this is so, we will produce much fruit of goodness and
peace.
We must ask, why does Jesus want to hide the revelation of
the Kingdom from the wicked? Doesn't he want them to be saved? Yes, Jesus
desires the salvation of all. He came as a simple man to identify himself with
everyone. But he is not going to force his will on anyone. The person has to be
open to his call for repentance. Jesus is not naive. He knows how to
distinguish sinners whose hearts can be reformed from the corrupt who will
resist repentance at every turn. He attracts the first group with parables. To
the second, as well as to the first, he will give his life on the cross as a
living parable. If the sight of him innocently enduring perhaps the cruelest punishment
in history doesn't convince them, nothing will.
We don't care that Jesus lived two thousand years ago or
that some of his followers have fallen into great sin. We just want his word to
grow on the fertile ground we have prepared and to bear abundant fruit.
