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Greetings, SBT Readers:
As I reflect on the Parable of the Sower, I am again reminded about the importance of the Sunday homily. For many churchgoers, Sunday is the one day of the week when we slow down enough to listen to God's Word, even if only for an hour-- more accurately, for the 20 minutes or so within the liturgy that are dedicated to actual preaching. Those twenty minutes can be inspirational, informational, even transformational; sadly, I suspect many churchgoers experience none of the above. Instead, they are subjected to what I call "status quo" preaching," that is, to preaching that simply repeats familiar ways of looking at scripture or that fails to present the Gospel in light of pressing issues such as domestic violence, human trafficking, or the lack of resources in minority neighborhoods.
Instead of challenging the assembly to think differently, status quo preaching reinforces listeners' sense of complacency or creates "warm fuzzy sensations" that allow us to leave the church feeling good about ourselves and about the world. Now, I'm not suggesting that homilists should leave us cringing with guilt, but, to be effective, they do need to leave us with at least one actionable step: This is what the Gospel is asking of us so what are we going to do about it?
Many Blessings!
Elizabeth
PS. As a Sunday homilist with nearly 35 years' experience in various liturgical settings, I offer preaching workshops and individual preaching coaching. Please let me know if you are interested in learning more!
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
Link to the Sunday Readings
"A farmer went out to sow.
As he scattered the seed, some fell on the path,
and birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil.
It sprang up at once because the soil was shallow,
but when the sun rose it was scorched,
and withered for lack of roots.
Some seed fell among thorns which grew up and choked it.
But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit--
a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
Whoever has ears ought to hear."
Mt 13:1-23
When we listen to Jesus' Parable of the Sower, it is easy to assume that we are the "good seed," the ones who hear the Word and respond because of our "rich soil." For some, "rich soil" might be defined as the Christian faith we inherited; this might include religious education and formation, a supportive community, keeping Sundays, receiving the sacraments, and observing the liturgical seasons. For others, "rich soil" might also include our own efforts to deepen our faith by seeking out spiritual direction, going on retreats and pilgrimages, keeping a journal and observing private devotions. It probably doesn't cross our minds that, at times, we are like rocky ground, or ground choked with weeds, unable to receive the Word, perhaps because of life events, or because we are distracted, or possibly because we have become lax when it comes to spiritual practices....
In the parable, Jesus outlines the main blocks to hearing and receiving God's Word:
* hearing the Word of the kingdom without understanding it
* having shallow roots and therefore lacking long-term commitment
* being overcome by worldly anxiety and the lure of riches
For Jesus, these three major blocks represent the characteristics of "would-be disciples" who are ill-equipped for the rigors of the spiritual journey. At times, however, I think that even committed disciples can experience some of these blocks, the main exception being having shallow roots. If we neglect our relationship with God, then we most likely lack the capacity to stay faithful when put to the test-- in other words, when discipleship becomes too costly, our joy and enthusiasm quickly evaporate and, like the seed on rocky ground, we "fall away." This would be a habitual "block" rather than the occasional blocks that I believe most Christians struggle with at some time or another.
In contrast, hearing the Word without understanding it may be a block that some of us experience from time to time. This lack of understanding goes beyond not comprehending the meaning of a complex scripture passage; rather, it means that we are closed to the Divine message, unwilling to see how it applies to us or what the Word is demanding of us -- or inviting us to consider! The Word echoes in our hearts, showers us with signs, with moments of synchronicity and amazing revelations, yet we remain clueless. We hear without listening; we see without gaining insight-- and God persists in trying to gain our attention until we finally have an epiphany moment.
Being overcome by worldly anxiety is another block with which many of us may identify. As long as we rest in the Word, in the presence of the risen Christ, we can receive many forms of Divine communication. When, however, we worry obsessively about tomorrow, or next week, or next year, our thoughts become muddied and we can no longer hear clearly. Instead of being in communion with the Holy One, all we hear is static, the noise of our fears and anxieties; instead of finding strength and consolation, we are overcome by panic as we try to solve our own problems or face them alone. In effect, we close the door on grace, making our situation infinitely worse until we surrender to God's unconditional embrace.
As for the "lure of riches," this can take many forms -- not just the desire for material wealth, but ego-traps of power, prestige, recognition... Paradoxically, the more we have the more we tend to want; that is because the False Self feeds on the glitter of life, consuming luxury goods, satisfying every addiction and feeling entitled to more of the same. When we crave possessions and fill ourselves with the fat of the land, there is little room for God or for discipleship. Usually, it takes a loss or failure of some kind to awaken us to our real priorities and to see the glamor of evil for what it really is.
Is 55:10-11 assures us that God's Word will ultimately achieve its purpose. Even when we are unresponsive, anxious, or distracted, the Word of God still breaks into our lives and our hearts, shattering disbelief, scattering fear, smashing all idols...
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