Gospel Reflection - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 13:1-23

In discussing today's Gospel, The Parable of the Seed, many reiterate Jesus' explanation of the seeds being dropped to where it falls within us. The seed dropped on the path is for those of us who hear the Word of God, but do not understand it & it is stolen away by the evil one. On rocky ground, we hear & receive the Word with joy, but it only lasts a short time & falls away when we go through struggles or trials. When we hear the word, but choose to follow the temptations & lures of the world, that is the seed sown among thorns. The only seed which produces much fruit & yields plenty is the one sown on fertile ground...those who live lives fully steeped in the Faith.

At various times in my life, the seeds of our Faith have fallen in each of those locations. 

Seed dropped on the path: This would be the early times of my faith life. As a child, I was not one to ask questions when I didn't understand something.  These are the times the seeds dropped in my path, but I just took them as face value. I didn't ask for clarification & with the exception of some lessons, I didn't retain a deeper understanding of the Faith. Another aspect of this seed is when I hear a homily or reflection that really strikes me. Then, as soon as I'm out the door, it's forgotten. One way I've recently overcome this is to carry mini notebooks to write anything that stands out to me. I've found that once I write whatever caught my attention stays with me longer if I've written it in my "Mass Journal". 

Seed dropped on rocky ground: These were the seeds that dropped during times of difficulty in my life. I may have briefly received them, but as the struggle grew stronger, I pushed my Faith away & let the evil one sew seeds of doubt & despair. Thankfully, as I've grown deeper in my Faith over the years, I don't let the seeds fall on the rocky ground as often.

Seed dropped among thorns: These are the times in my life when I let worldly goods replace my love of God, choosing to love them instead. Instead of placing Him first in my life, I let distractions such as Facebook, entertainment, activities, etc. come first. Thorns are a constant struggle in my life. One thing I've found to be extremely helpful is to set timers for some of the apps on my phone so that I limit my time daily. I just need to be aware & make sure I don't replace that time I would have spend on one activity with another activity that is also distracting!

Seed dropped on fertile ground: Here is where the most work is required in my life. I can't just accept the seed & expect it to take root in my life. I need to make sure my "soil" is properly prepared for growth. I do this by being aware of what I watch, read, & experience. I start & end my day with prayer, scriptural & inspirational reading. I attend daily Mass as often as I can. Taking part in the sacraments is also a tremendous "fertilizer" for my soul. One homily I heard a few months ago inspired me to purchase a sticker with just the word "AMEN" & to place it on my dashboard to remind me to pray for those who cut me off or irritate me when driving.

I am nowhere near perfect & my "soil" is often not properly "tilled, fertilized, & watered", but I strive to the best of my ability to be a child worthy of my Father in Heaven.