Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

(II Samuel 7:4-17; Mark 4:1-20)

We should note the casualness of the sower in Jesus’ parable today.  He scatters the seed indiscriminately -- in the soil, on the roadside, amid rocks, and among thorns.  “Why is he being so wasteful?” one might ask thinking, “A careful farmer would take better aim.”  But Jesus wants to demonstrate God’s generosity with his story.  The sower represents God who deals out blessings on both the bad and good.  Not only those who love God enjoy life, have liberty, feel sunrays, and taste honey.  Every human person to some degree experiences these benefits and many others.  What distinguishes the good from the bad is often the response given to God’s bounty.

After telling the parable, Jesus receives a group of people inquiring about its meaning.  They include disciples, whom may be understood as members of the Church, and others.  Effectively they are asking, “Why is God so good?”  Those who do not come forward take life for granted.  Jesus likens them to the seed eaten up by the birds before it has a chance to sprout.  

But not all who make inquiry about the gift will realize its fullness.  There must be a deeper response than inquiry; there must be willingness to sacrifice oneself.  For some, giving of themselves is too much trouble.  They are the seed that falls on rocky ground and never become rooted.  Others lose sight of God by mistaking creation for the Creator.  Giving all their attention to created things, they are like the plants that are strangled by thorns.  Finally, some seed produces abundant fruit.  They respond generously to the gift of creation by thanking God and caring for it. 

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 10:11-18; Mark 4:1-20)

Anyone familiar with the New Yorker magazine remembers a favorite cartoon that was used on its cover.  The drawing shows a man dressed in a fashionable coat with a tall top hat.  He is examining a butterfly with his monocle as if he were seeing one for the first time.  The man seems totally unfamiliar with nature.  He would probably not understand Jesus’ parable in today’s gospel.  It would sound to him like a discussion in a foreign language. 

In the passage Jesus explains that the parables are not intended for everyone.  He implies rather that they are meant for the poor in spirit who can appreciate the chore of growing food.  These people would naturally pick up on his comparison of the word of God with seeds being planted.  They would realize that some hearers of the word are never touched by it because of sinful inclinations in their makeup.  This is like the seed that is sown in places where it cannot grow to produce fruit.  They would also be aware that a harvest of a hundredfold is tremendous.  It is like the person who has become a saint. 

We should not be bothered if we have difficulty understanding Jesus’ parable.  Even his disciples needed an explanation.  But we should try to profit from his explanation.  We need to be careful not to be led astray by new ideas that distort the gospel message.  Similarly, we should not allow ourselves to be caught up in pleasures and vain pursuits of life.  Also, we want to allow the word of God to take root and grow by prayer and study.  In these ways we too will hopefully become saints.

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

 (II Samuel 7:4-11; Mark 4:1-20)

The La Salette Fathers of Attleboro, Massachusetts, called a building on their premises “Mark IV.”    The peculiar name did not refer to a man but to the Gospel of Mark.  The “IV” had to do with the gospel’s fourth chapter where Jesus preaches in parables.  It is from this page that today’s passage is taken.

Jesus uses parables to reveal God’s kingdom or, perhaps better, His goodness.  In today’s parable he says that the sower casts the seeds with great prodigality – a sign of generosity.  He compares the different places where the seed falls to people of different character.  But his point is that despite the loss of some seed, it still produces an abundant harvest.  He is telling his listeners that if they open themselves to God, He will produce in them wonderful results.

We are tempted to see this parable as exclusively analyzing people’s faults – weakness, shallowness, and worldliness.  We are wise to be wary of such traits in ourselves.  But to overcome their effect on us we should concentrate on God’s unrelenting love.  It is so wonderful that we cannot help but respond in kind to others.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, priest

(Hebrews 10:11-18; Mark 4:1-20)

If the seed is the word of God and if it produces an abundant harvest when it falls on fertile ground as today’s gospel proclaims, then it has seldom yielded more than when it struck the ears of Thomas Aquinas.  Few writers have been more prodigious and few thinkers more profound than the thirteenth century Dominican friar.

What made Aquinas such rich soil for an intellectual yield?  Three factors come to mind.  First, as a child he was sent to a Benedictine monastery for school.  There he probably learned to savor the word of God in his heart so that he could appreciate its every aspect.  Second, as an adolescent Thomas studied Aristotelean philosophy in Naples.  The ancient Greek’s rigid analysis of the real world gave the budding genius a penchant to express the truth with the purity of an angel.  Finally, Thomas embraced the radical life of the Dominican friars who depended implicitly on Divine Providence and allowed no concern to impede their vocation of saving souls.

Like all the saints, Thomas Aquinas was especially endowed by God.  As very few possess his genius, we can hardly rival his holiness.  But God continually breaks down the rocky texture of our lives so that we might, like Aquinas, produce an output of wise words and loving deeds that assist others on the road to salvation.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

(II Samuel 7:4-17; Mark 4:1-20)

In an appeal for simplicity, “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” a song John Denver made famous, calls life “a funny, funny riddle.”  In a similar way Jesus in today’s gospel explains that the secrets of life are revealed in parables.

Jesus’ usage of parable seems strange, even inimical.  At first hearing he makes them sound like riddles that are told so that people would have trouble understanding.  On the other hand, parables are known today as comparisons to help the simple-hearted believe in the mercy of God.  Which explanation is correct?  Unsurprisingly, both are.  The parables are indeed meant to help simple people trust in God.  Sophisticated people also may interpret them correctly.  But if sophisticates are driven by the thirst for power, pleasure, or prestige, they will dismiss parables as foolish folk tales and be unmoved by their wisdom. 

Jesus is asking that we prepare ourselves to be receptive ground for the word of God.  He wants us to make its understanding our priority in life, preferable to watching television, making money, or going to the gym.  To accomplish this goal we must read the word it slowly, ponder it carefully, and pray to God to enlighten its meaning. 

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 10:11-18; Mark 4:1-20)

”It is greater than God and more evil than the devil. The poor have it, the rich need it and if you eat it, you'll die. What is it?” This riddle may challenge even ingenious people. The solution, by the way, is “nothing.” Nothing is greater than God or more evil than the devil. The poor have nothing, and the rich lack nothing. If one eats nothing, he or she will die. In the gospel today Jesus is suggesting that his parables will sound like such a riddle for those who do not believe.

Jesus’ assertion that those outside the kingdom will “see but not perceive” is paradoxical. For believers a parable aids understanding. But if one lacks faith, parables will either appear as riddles or, alternatively, fantasies. In the case at hand, comparing preaching the word to casting seed will make sense to the believer who realizes that faith must be nurtured or it will die. But unbelievers cannot extract any sense from the story.

At the moment faith appears to be a withering commodity. Some expressly deny it. More often people simply do not practice it. But this is not the first time in history that faith has waned. We can only pray for these people that their hearts will change so that they may reap the abundant blessings that faith brings.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

(II Samuel 7:4-17; Mark 4:1-20)

We should note the casualness of the sower in Jesus’ parable today. He scatters the seed indiscriminately -- in the soil, on the roadside, amid rocks, and among thorns. “Why is he being so wasteful?” we might ask and conclude, “A careful farmer would take better aim.” But Jesus wants to make a point with his story. The sower represents God who deals out blessings on both the bad and good. It is not only those who love God enjoy life, have liberty, feel sunrays, and taste honey. Every human person to some degree experiences these benefits and many others. What distinguishes the good from the bad is often the response given to God’s bounty.

After telling the parable, Jesus receives a group of people inquiring about its meaning. They include disciples, whom we may understand as members of the Church, and others. Effectively they are asking, “Why is God so good?” Those who do not come forward take life for granted. Jesus likens them to the seed eaten up by the birds before it has a chance to sprout.

But not all who make inquiry about the gift will realize its fullness. There must be a deeper response than inquiry; there must be willingness to sacrifice oneself. For some, giving of themselves is too much trouble. They are the seed that falls on rocky ground and never becomes rooted. Others lose sight of God by mistaking creation for the Creator and giving all their attention to material wonders. They are the seed that falls among thorns. Finally, some seed produces abundant fruit. They respond generously to the gift of creation by caring for it on behalf of others.

Homilette for January 30, 2008

Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

(Mark 4:1-20)

We should note the apparent carelessness of the sower in Jesus’ parable. He scatters the seed indiscriminately in the soil, on the roadside, among rocks, and among thorns. “Why is he so wasteful?” we might ask. A good farmer would take better aim, but Jesus wants to make a point. The sower is a symbol for God who deals out blessings on both the bad and good. Not only those who love Him have life, liberty, the warmth of the sun, and the taste of honey. Every human person to some degree experiences both these joys and more. What distinguishes the good from others is the response to God’s goodness.

After telling the parable, Jesus receives a group of people inquiring about its meaning. Note that the group is not composed solely of disciples. The inquirers are the seekers of the world who delve into the meaning of God’s beneficence. They include disciples, whom we can understand as members of the Church, and others as well. Effectively they are asking, “Why is God so good?” They accept life as a gift to be appreciated and in some way returned to the Giver. Those who do not come forward take the gift of life for granted. Jesus likens them to the seed eaten up by the birds before it has a chance to sprout.

But not all those who inquire about the gift will realize the fullness of its potential. They have to respond on a deeper level than inquiry by giving of themselves. For some self-sacrifice is asking too much – the seed that falls on rocky ground. Others become side-tracked in their response to God’s love. They mistake creation for the Creator, giving too much attention to the former and precious little to the latter. They are the seed that falls among thorns.

But some seed produces abundant fruit. These are the people who not only enjoy God’s creation but who respond generously to it by pleasing God with gracious deeds on behalf of others. They include both Christians and non-Christians although the former have the obvious advantage of hearing Jesus’ parable constantly.