August 20 2023

He Taught Them Many Things in Parables

The Parable of the Sower

Matthew 13:1-9, “That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 Such great crowds gathered around that Jesus got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And Jesus told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as sower sowed, some seeds fell on a path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 If you have ears, hear!”

We begin with the story with which Jesus began the teaching of the disciples.  Jesus starts with one word: Listen! Easier said than done. When we lean in and pay attention, listening from the heart to this familiar story about a sower casting seed indiscriminately, there is a harvest of understanding to be gained from this entrée to the parables.