The good soil

The theme of this XV Sunday per annum is that of the word of God. It is an effective and fruitful word (cf. first reading) but which at the same time needs a “soil” in which to bear its fruit (cf. Gospel). The passage from Mt 13,1-23 can be divided into three moments: vv. 3-9 the parable of the sower; vv. 10-17 the purpose of the parables; vv. 18-23 the explanation of the parable of the sower. Observing the sower who goes out for sowing, a spontaneous question arises: «Why so much waste of seed?». You need to know that in those days one sowed land that had been fallow all summer and which naturally had been passed over by shepherds, flocks and so on. And it was AFTER sowing, not before, that one harrowed the land to dig in the seed. The farmer therefore sowed all the land without knowing, however, what was the fertile soil. This meant the seed can fall into shallow soil, or where brambles and thorns grow. But in some place the good soil could bear the hoped-for fruit. Let us now look at the progression within this parable. There are four moments; the first three correspond to the three stages in the development of the seed which first falls into the earth (v.4) then it sprouts (vv. 5-6) and finally grows (v. 7). The fourth moment marks maturity or the fruit (v. 8). In the first three moments there are various difficulties (birds, rock, thorns) that compromise the seed, in the fourth instead everything is happily overcome. What does Jesus mean with this parable? There have been difficulties and obstacles in his preaching and for many who followed him, hope had worn thin. What Jesus promises does not seem to come true. The invitation then is to hope. Eventually the Kingdom of God will present itself in fullness and all will recognize the truth of the evangelical teaching. Next to hope, which does not disappoint, the disciple also has faith, and knows how to wait patiently.

Commentary by b. Sandro Carotta, osb
Abbazia di Santa Maria – Praglia (Italy)

Translation by f. Mark Hargreaves,
Prinknash Abbey