Mark 4:26-34
"He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground."
Imagine life without parables or stories to get a point across. Parables, stories, fables or other titled writings help us remember a lesson for life or overcome a difficult situation. Back in ages past, most people in whatever land or culture, didn’t have a written language to record events. They passed down stories and legends to each generation so that lessons and histories would not be forgotten.
So 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 listening that, as a farmer plants his seed, he knows that the seed will produce nourishment or could 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, and God the Father the farmer, so that when they are planted, they will become food for others.
So, ask yourself today if your life will become a parable, with you ready to be that seed God wants to plant to grow into food for others? What stops you from being that seed? There are many different types of seeds…which seed will you be? How can you help others to be the seed ready to be sown by God?
Sister Becky Sullivan, CSFN
