Deacon Tom Writes,
“The Master Gardener”
There are many passages in scripture that compare a seed to the kingdom
of God. Many people still live in agricultural communities where they toil
daily to prepare and till the soil, plant the seeds, do the weeding, the
cultivating, and the harvesting. Jesus uses seeds as a metaphor in today’s
gospel, pointing out what makes all this work worth while: seeds are prolific. One seed can
produce an unbelievable abundance, but only if it is rooted in fertile soil.
The same can be said about our faith. It is like a seed that must find
fertile soil within us if it is to take root and grow and be productive
according to plan. We have been given the gift of life by the Master Gardener. He
has sowed us into the world where we are to bear much fruit. We all must
overcome difficulties and hardships just like seeds must overcome the
challenges they face - poor soil, droughts, and infestations. Sometimes we feel
like we are being trampled down just like the seed that fell on the path. Or,
we just need some time to ourselves to rest and recover from the stresses we
carry, but our roots don’t go deep enough to get adequate nourishment, like the
seed that fell on rocky ground, and we too wither away.
Today’s parable carries with it an invitation to pause for a moment and
ask ourselves if our lives give us the harvest of joy and happiness that God
intends for each of us to have, and even share with those who are not well
rooted in spiritual matters.
Every time I see a beautiful garden, I can’t help but think of the time
and energy and love that went into it. A beautiful garden doesn’t happen by
itself. The same goes for our lives. We can’t come to the fullness God intends
for us without the Master Gardener nourishing us, shaping our desires, pruning
our bad behaviors, nourishing us with all that we need to thrive. Only in God’s
hands can we blossom and come into the fullness of life that the Almighty
intends for us. We, for our part, must be receptive to the care the Master
Gardener gives us. If we cooperate, we too will reap thirty, sixty, one hundred
fold the joy and happiness that has been planned for us.
Enjoy the Day!
Deacon Tom
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