Deacon Tom Writes,
“The Master Gardener….”
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
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 work 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. Faith is like a seed that must find fertile soil within us if it is to take root and grow and be productive according to the law of nature. 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 and lack of nutrition. 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 here in this life that God intends us to “live to the fullest.”
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
Please Visit www.deaconspod.com where you will find contemporary conversations with several Paulist Deacon Affiliates and their guests exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those on the threshold of our church… those thinking of joining our Catholic Community or walking away from it.
OTHER RESOURCE
Recommended Reading: Yes, And... by Fr Richard Rohr, OFM contains meditations and prayers for every day of the year, Yes, And… supports the reader on their journey with their Christian faith. It offers a refreshing and open-minded approach to living out your faith. World-renowned spiritual teacher Richard Rohr offers an extensive collection of his thoughts and teachings for the reader to apply to their daily life. This guide supports those on their journey to find spiritual relevance in an open-minded way through excerpts from his many written and recorded works.
Recommended YouTube Video: #28 Christianity and Unknowing: Richard Rohr reflects on the beauty, complexity, pain, and great mystery that weave the infinite cycles of existence. He looks at ultimate truths, binary thinking, and individual awakening while acknowledging humanity as a mere part of the intricate web of life.
