Matthew 13:1-9 “in a snailshell”
Wednesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
©️2021 Gloria M. Chang
On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns 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.”
Matthew 13:1-9
The Sower’s seed bears fruit
In soil of plenitude.
Traditional Chinese Translation
《撒種的比喻》
撒種者的種子
結實於肥土裏。
Dear God,
Make my life good soil,
Ready to receive your grace.
Shower me with living streams,
Flowing from me to others.
Let my actions be fruitful toil.
I ask for no recompense,
Not sown by ego-centered drive.
Cultivate the ground I grow in,
Help me to be truly alive!
Any other way makes no sense.
Rather than read this parable as a puzzle, asking which soil am I, I want to focus on generous Sower. Casting seed here and there, sowing with great hope,
God offers grace abundantly to all of us.
Thank God for the merciful love of the One who calls us friends.
May we all focus on the good and merciful Sower!