Dear Parishioners,
How’s Your Soil?
In this week’s gospel, we are taken back to our roots. Jesus uses one of His most powerful teaching techniques — the parable. Parables are “simple stories that Jesus used to teach important lessons.” In this case, Jesus turns to farming and the importance of soil quality.
It’s generally understood that all seeds need water, sun, and of course, fertile soil. Although all are necessary, soil gets the growing process started because soil is the first component to encounter the seeds. Without soil, nothing will grow. Let’s take a closer look at soil. Most dictionaries will describe it as being made up of three components: (1) minerals that come from rocks, (2) organic matter which comes from the remains of plants and animals, and (3) living organisms that reside in the soil (www.soil-net.com). Therefore, soil is a product of its environment, which makes it easy to see that not all soil is the same. Jesus uses the extreme case of the “absence of soil” (i.e., the foot path), to the case of very shallow soil (i.e., rocky ground), to soil that is overpowered by thorns and finally to the nutrient-rich soil as being analogous to people at different stages in their spiritual journey.
In this parable, the ability of each type of soil to sustain life depends on where the soil ended up in life — not so different from us. But unlike soil, we have the ability to be aware of the external forces that could have a negative impact on us, and we have the ability to change them. Jesus is making us realize that we can influence who and what surrounds our lives so that our hearts and minds are ready to receive and understand His word. Once His word enters into a fertile heart, a heart that is ready for it — it will grow and even spread to others. The only question that remains is “are we cultivating the right soil?”
Sincerely in Christ,
Father Lito