St Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 22, The Seed among Thorns.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the sower explained) Part 3. 

And Christ continues to give them what is given.  He explains the parable of the sower so that they may understand.  He gives knowledge so that they may perceive.  He gives wisdom so that they may see with their eyes and hear with their ears and be converted that they may be saved.  But some came not to hear.  Some came not to understand.  Some came to be entertained.  Some came to be healed of their physical ailments but not of their spiritual ailments.  And some came to destroy the seed that was being planted.

Christ saw all.  Christ knew all and yet he gave.  He saw the seed by the wayside and the evil one taking it away.  He saw the seed on rocky ground and knew that it would not stand the test of temptation and  persecution.  Yet he gave.  For his heart was filled with the love of the Father and the love of man.  He continued to give until the end.  And he told the parable of the seed planted with the thorns.  He said,  And the one sown among the thorns, that is he who listens to the word; but the care of  this world and the deceitfulness of riches  choke the word, and it is made  fruitless.

He who has ears let him hear!  The word has been spoken.  The seed has been sown.  The seed is in the world and the world will grow among the seeds.  Throughout the world seeds are given.  They are dispersed everyday through the blessings of the Holy Spirit.  Many will hear.  Many will rejoice.  But few will nurture the seed.  Few will water the seed.  Few will cultivate the seed so that it will grow.  Instead the seed will be in the world and the world will choke the seed.  The seed will be in the world and the soil will yield no fruit.  For man is in the world and the seed is not of the world. 

Turn within and see your seed!  Turn within and nurture your seed!  For it is within that you grow.  It is within that you develop.  For it is within that your new being will come forth.  But, you must water from within.  You must cultivate from within.  You must nurture from within and not from outside.  For the outside is inclined to death and the inside is inclined towards life.  Christ came so that you may have life and have it more abundantly.  Is not the life more than the clothes, the paper money, the cars, the houses, the parties, the wealth of this world?  But life is not of this world and your rewards are not of this world.  So, why do you seek the riches of this world that are dirt compared to the riches of heaven? 

Seek your reward and you will know the joy and peace of heaven.  Ask for your heavenly riches and you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams.  Then, you will know your true self and your true heritage.  For you are a child of God and he has prepared great things for you in heaven.  Come, get a glimpse of your reward and you will know.  Seek the Holy Spirit and he will be your guide.  He sits at your door waiting.  Invite him in!

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verses:20 - 21, The Seed on Rcky Ground.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the sower explained) Part 2. 

The explanation continues.  The ears are opened and the eyes may see, and Christ gives what is given.  The disciples have asked for parables to be explained and Christ has agreed to give understanding.  He has agreed to provide more insight.  He has agreed to repeat the parables, with explanation, so that those who would listen may hear.  Many have come.  Some have come to be healed.  Some have come to see.  Some have come to be entertained.  And then there are those who have come to destroy.

Christ repeats the parable of the sower on rocky ground.  He says,  And the one sown on rocky ground, that is he who hears the word receives it immediately with joy;  yet he has no root in himself, but continues only for a time, and when trouble and persecution comes because of  the word, he at once falls away. 

And now they know.  Now they have heard.  Now they may understand that they may be the one on the rocky ground or they may be the one on the wayside.  But the seed has been sown.  The seed has been released.  Will they nurture the seed?  Will they water the seed?  Will the seed find roots and grow?  Or will the seed whither and die?  Those who have ears let them hear.  And those who do not hear let them know.  Christ wanted them to know.  Christ wanted them to understand.  Christ wanted them to receive the seed but the evil one has tricked them.  The evil one has stolen their seed.

Where are you today?  Are you a wayside seed or a rocky road seed?  Do you receive the word but cast it off when trouble comes?  Do you not know the truth of the word?  Come, let us understand the true meaning of the words of Christ, for it is through the spirit of Christ that meaning is received.  It is through the spirit of Christ that understanding comes.  It is through the spirit of Christ that true wisdom of the kingdom is revealed.  Do you know?  Do you understand?  Do you seek to understand?  For the spirit waits at your door ready to enter, only if you ask him in.  Will you ask?  Will you seek?  Will you desire to have his wisdom and knowledge?  He waits for you.

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verses: 1 - 6, The Seed: by the wayside and on rocky ground.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the sower) Part 1. 

We begin a new Chapter of the gospel as told by St Matthew.  Christ has instructed the people in their heavenly family ties.  He took the opportunity to show the crowd that we are all one family, those who do the will of God.  It does not matter that we are naturally brothers or sisters or mothers or fathers.  In God's family we are all one, we are all brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers because we do God's will here on earth. 

Christ retired after giving this lesson and went to the beach.  He sat on the shore watching the waves come and go until the crowds surrounded him and there was no room or place for peace and contemplation.  St Matthew tells us that Christ got into a boat and began to preach.  He did something different this time.  Instead of instructing the people directly he taught in parables.  He told stories.  He gave instructions in messages that the crowd enjoyed but did not understand.  He spoke in parables.  

Most everyone has heard about the parable of the sower.  Christ tells it this way,  "Behold, the sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the birds came and ate them up.  And other seeds fell upon rocky ground, where they had not much earth; and they sprang up at once, because they had no depth of earth; but when the sun rose they were scorched, and because they withered away.    They had no root."

When I first read this parable I did not understand it.  It was just a story for me that had no meaning.  Even the explanation that is given, explaining about the evil one snatching away what was given, did not make much sense.  It was not until the spirit moved me and opened my eyes that I was able to see and understand how I was the one sown on rocky ground.  It hit me like a ton of bricks that my life could have been different, would have changed had I  had roots to anchor me in my spiritual life.  

I recall my high school years in the early sixties, 1961.  We had just moved from the downtown area, to a new subdivision of single family homes.  This was a step up for our family because we lived in rental property before and now we had a home to call our own.  This also meant new friends, new school, new church, and new environment.  There was no public school nearby to attend.  Private school was the only nearby school.  I am 13 going on 14 attending high school.  

I tell this to give some background into my roots.  The private school is Catholic and we had just come from a Baptist background.  So everything was new to me.  The entire Catholic experience was new and exciting.  Service was in Latin and it was inspiring to me to be a part of this new life.  I sought to learn all that I could about it and studied much.  The school was Catholic also and most of the students came from the Catholic elementary school.  I worked hard to fit in.  It was the need to be accepted that drove me and it was the new Catholic experience that inspired me. 

I became so involved in the church that I expressed interest in becoming a priest.  This stirred great excitement in the church and in the school.  The word, the seed, was planted within me but it had no root.  My intentions were expressed in my sophomore year, but by my senior year that seed had withered and my interest died.  I look back and think how different my life may have been had I had roots to carry me through to priesthood.  The support was not there, not at home nor in the school.  Sure I was moved up and my studies accelerated but I was left in the student body, subject to the whims and taunts of my fellow students. 

Trying to fit in had a tremendous impact on the forthcoming change of mind.  There was no one to relate to.  The priest were available.  The nuns were encouraging.  But there was no roots to sustain the new life that was trying to take hold.  I look back and think that if I were taken out of the student body and placed in another school especially designed for those of my age who expressed intent for the priesthood, maybe my roots would have grown.  If I were given special nurturing, maybe my roots would have spread.  If I were set aside and taken out of the rocky ground, I would have had a chance to blossom to yield fruit at an earlier age.  When the spirit opened my eyes, the thoughts of these experiences flooded me with emotions that brought forth tears.  I had no roots and they did not grow, and when the sun came, I withered and died.

Today my roots are in Christ, solidly planted in his words, and the Holy Spirit guides me.  Roots are essential to new life.  Christ is our earth.  He is our soil.  He is our nourishment that allows our roots to grow and flourish.  Do you have roots in Christ?  Are you sure of your nourishment?  What soil are you grown in?  The evil one awaits, to snatch away your seed.