The choice medium of instruction is through parables and today Jesus describes the Kingdom from the perspective of the Sower. The narrative is simple and the descriptions of the places where the seed falls reflect the conditions of the human heart. The harvest yield is dependent on the willingness to hear God’s word.
What lesson can we derive from this teaching moment of Jesus?
At least three points. Firstly, what does yielding a great harvest mean for us? Secondly, is there a question of wilfulness? Thirdly, how do we get from failure to fruitfulness?
We resonate very well with the idea of producing a bountiful harvest because we are a result-oriented people. In fact, our language is really markedly materialistic in measure. We call it KPI or Key Performance Index. In the case of the seed that had the misfortune of falling on the wayside or stony grounds, they are just wasted opportunities. Given that we are success-oriented, children at a very tender age are already primed to succeed as scientists, engineers, doctors and etc.
No parents want their child to be a rubbish collector. In fact when a young boy who shows a little inclination towards musical prodigy is immediately enrolled in a musical school to hone his skills etc. We think nothing of this way of proceeding. But imagine that same youth at the age of 12, revealing that he wants to be a priests and many parents will probably brush that off as a childish fantasy because he does not really know what he wants.
While it is not wrong to aspire for success or prosperity, the first point of the parable widens our scope of life beyond what is merely material and social progress. A great harvest should be more spiritual. In this matter, parents would want their children to behave but what about teaching them, apart from academic or sporting achievements, to excel in kindness and goodness, to care for the poor and the marginalised? No parent wants his or her child to behave badly but for the Kingdom, just being good is not enough because one has to be excellent in moral character.
This failure to yield a harvest raises the matter of the will and this is the 2nd point. We often assume that failure is wilful as if someone wants to fail. Nobody really wakes up in the morning to want to fail which must lead us to re-look at the conditions for the possibility of hearing God’s word and bearing fruit. If the harvest is to be great, what causes the poor harvest? Why can we not hear properly? The truth about deafness is that it is never wilful which means that we need to school our hearts to hear God better. This is the part which is not easy because we are basically used to having things our way. A good example is how some parents might lament that their adult children do not seem to follow in their footsteps. It is not a guarantee that right training will result in the appropriate behaviour but suffice to say that proper discipline is necessary to ensure a favourable outcome.
More than that, failures are really opportunities to change and to improve. While it requires patience to bear with our own frailty, what is most needed is the grace to move in the direction of freedom. In other words, the will needs to be trained to be more Christ-like in thinking and behaving. A clearer moral vision requires that we grow to know Him better and not just to know about Him.
This brings us to the next third point about moving from failure to fruitfulness.
We are not good only because we act in a manner which is good. Rather, we are good which is why we behave in a particular manner, that is, we make choices in accordance with our dignity as sons and daughters of God. Who we are as persons is not just plasticene to be moulded according to our whims and fancies. Instead, we have been created in the image and likeness of God. There we already have a blueprint for our moral behaviour.
In a way, what is brought to mind is another imagery which may help us to bear a bountiful harvest. It is the image of the Vine and the branches. In order to be fruitful, we remain in the Vine drawing our sustenance from it. This is really an invitation to enrich our sacramental life and to draw strength from the Sacraments. But there are self-assured or self-contented minds who think that it is enough that they do not harm and a sacramental life is not necessary for bearing fruits. The barren fig tree is a powerful reminder that not doing any harm is not good enough. To be fruitful, we must be connected to the Vine.
Finally, the Sower’s prodigality in scattering seed reveals God’s generous patience with us even if we are slow in bearing fruits. He sows with love and waits patiently for the harvest to flourish. However, the take-away lesson is that this not a one-way street because the terrain symbolises the disposition of the heart towards God’s goodness. He is generous but that does not mean we cannot be excluded from His mercy. By our lack of response or negligence, we will draw the pruner’s secateurs or clipper. It sounds ominous to our entitled ears but it is not. Although God desires our cooperation, He cannot force it. The parable ends clearly with the message that the seed is in our hearts, akin to having the ball in our court, and very much like the wedding of the King’s son, if we are not careful or conscientious, we may just disinvite ourselves to the wedding feast.
