Sowers of the Word

A Reflection on the Gospel of Matthew 13: 18-23 - 26 July 2024

     Today we hear our Lord’s explanation of the Parable of the Sower. So often when Christians reflect on this parable, we concentrate on the soils of our soul; yet, today, consider the Sower. Living on a farm, I have a special affinity for the farmer, the Sower of the seed. Certainly, the first Sower of the Word is God, both in Sacred Scripture and most importantly, the Sower of the Word incarnate in the womb of Mary, the Mother of God. However, God also plants within the soul of every baptized Christian His mission of sowing. We have a share in the “Great Story”, the story of Salvation. Jesus tells His Apostles, and us, to

Go … and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19–20 NABRE)

     Through Baptism we are grafted onto Christ and drawn into His mission. That is why the Church anoints every baptized soul into Jesus’ office of Priest, Prophet, and King. Partaking in the priesthood of our Lord, we have the mission to reconcile the world with God. To participate in the prophetic mission of Jesus, He calls us to speak truth into the world, proclaiming the Good News of salvation. To share in the Lord’s kingship is to internalize our mission to serve our brothers and sisters first. That is what the King of Kings did, and still does. We don’t speak simply of following or imitating Jesus. We speak of becoming a member of his Mystical Body. In this we are all partakers in the mission not only of sowing the seed but also helping to shape the soils of every soul to receive the Word such that it flourishes, “bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” (Matthew 13:8 NABRE)

     The verse found within the Gospel Acclamation within the Mass points to the central theme of the Gospel proclamation. The verse for the Gospel today points particularly to the attributes of the Sower of the seed.

Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance. (Luke 18:15 NABRE)

The Sower serves with a generous heart and perseveres.

     The Sower is one who spreads the Word with a generous heart holding nothing back. He or she never shrinks back in fear of personal loss. They possess a heart that is driven with the joy of the Gospel. Any farmer will tell you that though farming is hard work, there is absolutely nothing that could hold them back from their vocation, a labor of love. It is the same with Sowers of the Word. “An evangelizing community is filled with joy; it knows how to rejoice always. It celebrates every small victory, every step forward in the work of evangelization.” (EG 24)

      The Sower does not ask; “What’s in this for me?” Their generosity knows no bounds.

     The Sower is one who never surrenders when it comes to the conversion of souls. Adversity is temporary. Farmers are constantly at work preparing the soil, seeking the best conditions to sow the seed. Once the seed is sown, they are constantly at work nurturing the smallest of plants, weeding, fertilizing, protecting the crop. When there are setbacks; floods, droughts, or insects, the farmer persists in his or her work until the crop bears fruit. Sowers care deeply for the condition of the soil. It is the harvest which is important. “The Sower, when he sees weeds sprouting among the grain does not grumble or overreact. He or she finds a way to let the word take flesh…” (EG 24) The Sower is one who perseveres to the end.

     Today we celebrate the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Saints Joachim and Anne are Sowers. They sow with undaunted faith, generous hearts, and perseverance. Not fully knowing how their actions would contribute to the salvation of the world, they nurtured the faith which God planted in the immaculate heart of Mary. They worked with love, with no hint of the yield of the harvest to come. They simply trust God and with generous hearts persevere. So should we all. Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us!

     Rejoice today in the Word that has taken root in your heart and reflect on those Sowers of the Word in your life. They are those who with generosity of their own heart, first showed you the heart of Christ. They are those that persevere in nurturing the Word within your life today. Finally, pray to possess the generous heart of Christ, and strengthened by His Sacraments, persevere in worthily participating in the mission of the divine Sower.

“Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. … we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”
(1 Corinthians 3:8–9 NABRE)

Endnotes:

Pope Francis. Evangelii Gaudium (EG). Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2013. Print. Apostolic Exhortation.

New American Bible. Revised Edition. Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011. Print.