HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY 16TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME B
[JER 1:1.4-10; MATT 13:1-9]
The story is about three priests who found themselves before St. Peter at the gates of heaven and were asked what they had done in their lifetime. The first one said he had baptized many people during his ministry and then he brought his record book of baptisms from his bag. The next one said he had specialized in marriages during his ministry and brought out his record book of marriages he had solemnized and validated. The third one boasted that his ministry had been filled with a series of talks, retreats, homilies, and recollections. When asked by St. Peter what he had to prove his claim, he opened his bag, and behold inside were the ears of so many people because their ears “listened to the word but they did not live it.” St. Peter was supposed to have said: “Same with you, Father. I will just accept your tongue.”
Today’s gospel is about the parable of the sower. The sower sows seeds in the field. Some fell on a footpath, on rocky ground, on thorny ground and some fell on good soil. This parable is aimed at those who listen or rather hearers of His word. The sower is God and the seed is God’s word and His Kingdom. The different kinds of soils or grounds are the different human reception or different ways of accepting God’s word and they produce different kinds of fruit accordingly. First, Jesus says: “Some seed fell on the path,” (v.4). All of us know that pathway is so hard that the seed would lay only on its surface where birds of the sky would eat it. This person is a prejudiced hearer who has a shut mind. Such a person is unteachable and blind to what he/she doesn’t want to hear and unwilling to accept anything new.
Second, Jesus says: “Some fell on rocky ground,” (v. 5). All of us know that the top soil of a rocky ground is often quite thin and the seed would grow quickly but its root is unable to sink because it doesn’t have deep soil. This person is a shallow hearer. He/she fails to think things out or think them through; he/she lacks depth of faith. He/she may initially respond with an emotional reaction; but when it wears off, his/her mind wanders to something else.
Third, Jesus says: “Some seed fell among thorns,” (v. 7). Thorn was a constant problem of farmers during Jesus’ time. Thorn refers to a person who possesses the proper disposition for spiritual growth but he/she is choked by excessive care and concern for the riches of this world. This person is a busy hearer. He has many interests or cares but cannot hear or comprehend what is truly important. This person is forever too busy to pray or too preoccupied to study and meditate on God’s word.
Fourth, Jesus says: “Some seed fell on rich soil,” (v. 8). This is the person who is free from all three of these obstacles. This person is an open-minded hearer. Somebody had said that this person is at all times willing to listen and to learn. He/she is never too proud or too busy to learn. He/she listens to understand. God gives grace to those who hunger for His word so that he/she may understand His will and have the strength to live according to it.
And so this parable reminds us to be doers of the Word of God and not just hearers; to be doers of God’s word in our concrete lives and not just preachers.
PAX VOBIS
Catholic Diocese of Ilorin, Kwara State,
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