Luke 8:1-13

24th Week in Ordinary Time
1 Corinthians 15:35-27, 42-49
Luke 8:4-15

A. Text/Context

• We have just heard from the gospel a very popular parable already very common to us – the parable of the sower
• One day Jesus came to the side of the lake preaching. And of course with the popularity of Jesus large crowd of people will always follow him wherever he goes
• We can just imagine the thick crowd of people pushing and jostling each other all wanting to listen to what would Jesus say to them
• And so Jesus got into a boat and sat down with the people standing in the shore
• And that was the time Jesus taught the people about the parable of the sower
• So the sower sows the seed. Along the way some seeds fell on the road, others on rocky ground, others among the thorns
• Of course the seeds that fell in those places did not grow and they all die
• But the seeds that fell on the fertile soil, they all grow and bear fruit a hundred fold
• Now the disciples are asking: Why do you speak to them in parables?
• Well, one reason is that this story is in a rural setting, they are in the side of the lake
• And so, most of the people gathered are farmers or fisherman the soil is fertile by the side of the lake
• Jesus makes use of the scenery to tell the parable so that the people will immediately understand the goodness of God
• So we now understand that the sowing does not simply means the seeds
• The seed that was sown is now the word of God preached by Jesus
• The word of God is now the teachings of Jesus: love of God, love of neighbor, forgiveness, kindness, patience, charity, etc.
• The reality that we are here attending the Eucharist, praising, praying and worshipping the lord is the reason that the seeds have already borne fruit
• And the word of God did not change from the very beginning, and it will continue to remain the same until the end of time
• Only human beings change and we easily forget the teachings of Jesus because of our human weakness

B. Human Situation

• Now we ask the question: If the seed in the parable is the word of God, then, what is now the soil where the seed can grow?
• It is us. All of us. Our heart is the very place where the word of God can grow and multiply in all the good work that we do
• This is where God expects us to respond to his teachings according to a certain degree of responsibility
• Now at present, the whole world is experiencing a health crisis. We have a very tense and volatile situation that could easily change into a civil disturbance
• If some sectors of society would incite the people to resort to violence, then our country will be thrown to the dogs
• This is the right time that we exercise our utmost prudence in making decisions
• You see, if the influential people, those in high positions or authority would give statements to the media, radio or television, they can sway public opinions leading to a bad conclusion!
• The results can be fatal! Any wrong decision can turn this country into a civil war
• God teaches us to be prudent in making decisions, to remain calm and sober in the midst of turmoil and bickering
• God teaches us to be patient by resorting to the slow and painful process of order and harmony
• God has never taught us to be impatient and get recourse to a bloody and violent takeover
• Just imagine the scenario of a restive military. If they will be very impatient, there can be a coup resulting to a junta in government and arrest all the people violating the covid 19 regulations
• And military rule is the rule of the Dark Ages. It is just totally unfit in this age of liberty, freedom and democracy

C. Challenge

• This is the challenge that the gospel brings us today
• God is reminding us that we must always remember his goodness and generosity
• God simply sows the seed of love and charity for all the people of this planet no matter if he will be rejected or not
• And it’s the same for all of us. That we must also sow the seeds of love, forgiveness and charity and HOPE will result from it
• In the 1st reading St. Paul also reminds us that the suffering of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.
• Let us all work for peace. Let us all sow the seeds of love and charity that they may all grow in the land of fertility