I love this parable for the fact that it's about the only one where Jesus goes into detail for them as to what each portion means. Nowadays we like to think we are so advanced in our learning of the Bible that the parables are too simplistic and child-like for us to learn anything from them. Ah, how mistaken we are. There is always depth to God's Word. I think we best discover this when we focus on just one small part of the parable, such as when we are asked to put ourselves in the role of the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son, or the Samaritan in the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Just so, in this parable, I found myself thinking of the seed which falls on the path. The seed doesn't even have the chance to take root before it is trampled underfoot, or swept away with the wind. Jesus identifies this seed as the Word that is sown, and Satan comes and takes the Word from them. I wondered at first how this situation would be different from the thorns (cares of the world choking out the Word). So often we fall prey to cares of the world without Satan having to lift a finger to do anything. The seed on the path is almost more circumstantial; Satan blocks the Word from being able to take effect (or so he thinks). We can think of many ways this may take place: the Gospel not being properly taught or interpreted, or maybe being presented with some resources on Scripture and moral teaching but never having the time or proper encouragement to follow through and learn.
There are some fallen-away Catholic family and friends I can think of by whom I am separated by distance. Sometimes the thought crosses my mind, "Where are the good Catholics in their area? Who could they encounter today? If only a good Catholic, wherever they are, could somehow have the courage to step into their lives this very day and make a difference." How often do we pray for our fellow Catholics to receive their proper instruction and then to boldly go proclaim the Gospel? The Word is ready to be scattered, but is kept from reaching the soil it needs to reach. There is a real spiritual battle going on, and we must, must pray for each other to reach those who need to hear the Word.
Further, we need to pray for the grace to recognize those who need to hear the Good News. Something I learned in my time with FOCUS, which I have found indeed rings true in my life, is that just because someone grew up with you, learned the same lessons and the same catechesis, that does not mean that they were ever personally invited into a relationship with God. It stuns me still that fellow students I went to high school with, whom I know were in the same classes which convicted me in my faith, could not hear the same message; perhaps they were never invited to participate in it. Whenever I was asked by my FOCUS discipler about what grounded me in my faith at a young age, I give a lot of credit to Totus Tuus...growing up, as long as I remember, I was surrounded by young adults who were cool, living out their faith, and inviting us into their joy. How beautiful!
Let us pray that Satan be defeated from blocking us from sowing the Word, by praying for other Catholics who may have a strong influence if only they knew who to reach, and also in our own lives by recognizing those around us that we are neglecting to invite into a loving and tender faith and love with our God. May the blinds fall off of our eyes to recognize the hurt in our world and act upon it.
No comments:
Post a Comment