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Where Are We in the Story?
This weekend’s Gospel marks the beginning of the third long discourse given by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. Over the next few weeks, the Gospel readings will consist of the entire 13th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel – a lengthy teaching discourse. In fact, this is often named the “chapter of parables,” for there are 8 parables jammed into one chapter.
Throughout this discourse in the coming weeks, Jesus will offer many parables to illustrate for his listeners what he means by the “Kingdom of God” - weeds among wheat; mustard seed; yeast; treasure hidden in a field; a fine pearl; a net thrown into the sea; new and old treasures. Matthew identifies Jesus as Moses, as the greatest Rabbi, who continually sits among his disciples and the crowds and struggles to explain what the new “Kingdom of God” is like in contemporary, day-to-day examples.
These parables would “make sense” and connect with Matthew’s audience: mostly agricultural communities of Christians from a Jewish background living somewhere in northern Palestine and Syria who farmed the land and raised livestock.
This Sunday, Matthew begins with the parable of the sewer, which appears rather straightforward – of course seeds grow best in good soil. Seeds that miss the soil, are sown in rocky ground, or are thrown among other plants will not grow. The surprise in this parable is the enormous yield (hundred-fold) of the seed that is sown in good soil.
To bring home the point, Jesus interprets this parable to his disciples. The different types of soil in which the seeds are sown are metaphors for the disposition with which each individual hears the teaching about the kingdom of heaven. Some will be easily swayed away from the kingdom of heaven. Some will receive it for a while, but will lose it when faced with difficulties. Some will hear the word, but will then permit other cares to choke it out. Yet some will receive it well, and the seed will produce abundant fruit.
Although Jesus explains this particular parable, the meaning of most parables throughout the four Gospels is not self-evident – especially to our mostly suburban parish communities of our day. You and I need to “wrestle” with the parables and engage in some degree of reflection to begin to grasp the meaning for us today in Silver Spring. The bottom-line question is quite challenging: Where are we in the stories of the parables? And – specifically with this Sunday’s parable – where are we: Are we good soil? Rocky soil? Sandy Soil? Poor soil? Or are we perhaps a mix of soils each day, throughout the year? Definitely tough questions to ponder on our faith journey!
I would invite you to take time to read and ponder the words from the Gospel of Matthew 13:1-23.
What word or words caught your attention?
What in this passage comforted you?
What in this passage challenged you?
What type of soil do you think your faith is growing in? Do you need to change it? If so, how might you?
Further Reflections and Questions:
Draw a dot on a piece of paper. Imagine that the dot is a seed. Draw around the dot a representation (symbols, events, names, challenges, etc.) of how your faith is growing.
Draw a straight line on a piece of paper. Imagine this line is your life to date. Identify major events, challenges, joys as far back as you can remember to the present. Where did you experience God’s presence? How were you open to His word?
Every farmer and gardener know this: good soil is broken soil. Soil needs to be tilled and turned to break through the hardness so seeds will grow. Soil needs cracks and ridges. What is true in gardening is true in real life. From brokenness comes the seeds of life. We are each flawed. We are each broken soil. But in Christ, no one is “bad soil.” No one!
Deacon David
