Imagine life without parables or stories to get a point across. Parables, stories, fables, or other titled writings help us to remember a lesson for life, or to overcome a difficult situation. Back in ages past, most people in whatever land or culture didn’t have a written language in order to record events. They passed down stories and legends to each generation, so that lessons and histories would not be forgotten.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is again teaching his audience basic truths about his Father. He takes seeds as his example. He tells the people that as a farmer plants his seed, he knows the seed will produce nourishment or could become shelter for the birds of the air. The farmer has faith in the action of putting a seed in the dirt and letting it grow. The farmer doesn’t understand why things happen the way they do after he puts the seed in the ground, but by experience he knows the outcome.
Jesus wanted the crowd to know that his heavenly Father will be there to have their backs, providing all that they will need, if only they have faith in him. They should be like the seed, so that when they are planted they will become food for others.
Ask yourself today: Will you become a parable, ready to be that seed that God wants to plant, to grow into food for others? What stops you from being that seed? How can you help others to be the seed ready to be sown by God? There are many different types of seeds… which seed will you be?
Sister Rebecca Sullivan, CSFN
