Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
July 24, 2020
Daily Reading from the USCCB: Matthew 13:18-23
This parable was important to the development of Jesus’ mission. It’s in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke–each time with an explanation from Jesus.
The parable addresses the question of the fruitfulness of Jesus’ mission. Why were the results so disappointing, so sparse? This was a matter of some concern for the hearers of Jesus as well as for the early Christians.
The lesson of the parable is that there is nothing wrong with the seed, that is the words and actions of Jesus that express his mission. If the results of the sowing are sparse, it’s because of the poor quality of the soil in which the seed is sown. What kind of soil do I provide for Jesus’ seeds to grow in?
