July 12, 2020
15th Sunday Ordinary
“On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the crowd stood along the shore.†(Matt 13:1) This verse from the Gospel of Matthew sounds eerily like what is happening to us. We have been sheltering at home to avoid contact with others and, now in phase four, we go out and crowd the beach. So much for social distancing!
When Jesus sits down, he assumes the role of teacher. The boat becomes a pulpit. He teaches, as many teachers do, by telling stories. Stories engage us in a deeper way than classroom presentations. Jesus tells parables, simple stories, or illustrations, that are drawn from everyday life. Jesus spins tales of a fisherman casting a net into the sea, of a woman baking bread, or a farmer sowing seeds. He uses common elements of life to speak about the Kingdom of Heaven.
By speaking of what is familiar Jesus catches the attention of his listeners and brings them into the story. They can imagine a sower spreading seed that lands on a path, on rocks, in thorns and on rich soil. Listeners anticipate the outcome for seeds in a hostile environment, but they are surprised by the magnitude of harvest when some seeds land in rich soil. Experienced farmers would expect at best a 10% yield but not a 100 or 60 or 30 % yield! This is truly exceptional.
A parable of Jesus has a way of staying with the person who hears it. A listener may ask: does the “sowing of seed†mean something more than a farmer sowing seeds? Does the seed have a deeper, symbolic, meaning? Some of those listing by the sea will recall the verses of Isaiah (first reading) where the prophet uses rain and snow moistening the earth as a metaphor of God’s Word being active and fruitful in the world. “My word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.†It may dawn on listeners that the sower’s seeds are the words and teaching of Jesus himself being planted in them. They are the “good soil†in which the seed, that is, God’s Word of the Kingdom, is being planted and germinating.
We hear and tell this parable of Jesus when everything happening seems to conspire against the efficacy of the Word of God. We are frightened and troubled by cascading events: abuse crisis, diocesan bankruptcy, covid-19, unemployment, civil discord, racial injustice, and violence. It would not appear to be a good time to receive “the Word of the Kingdom.†Humility, on our part, is key. “Humility†is from the word “humus†– earth. Humbly we acknowledge that we are earthen vessels, clay pots, and God’s light is shining within us. With Jesus within, we are healing for the sick; hope for those who despair; calm for the anxious; and company for the lonely. With Jesus within, God’s Word of the Kingdom, we are a living parable.
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14th Sunday Ordinary
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16th Sunday Ordinary
