Good Soil

Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources. When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: ‘A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.’ As he said this, he called out, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’ Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others I speak in parables, so that “looking they may not perceive, and listening they may not understand.” ‘Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away. As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance. Luke 8:1-15

This time of year, if I am not in the garden, I am thinking about what to plant and how to make things grow better this year. Just picked up some more dirt for our raised beds and we're laying out plans for planting. I love working in the garden and love checking on the peas and other early plants to make sure they are thriving. Jesus asks us to have the kind of faith that is willing to get in the dirt, to remove the weeds, stir in the mature, and whatever else is needed for abundance. We are often too willing to show for extravagant events, where we parade in gorgeous vestments, but fail to do the day in day out toil, of weeding our faults, asking forgiveness and being forgiven, studying the scriptures and serving the needs of the community. We are called to do the backbreaking, on our knees, sunburnt kind of faith work so that all may be blessed with abundant love in action.

Gracious Creator, you bring a new season

where life can flourish again and flower

you give us the seeds and the tools to work

and rich earth to plant and to tend with love.

We are impatient and run when slightly tested

we are unwilling to stoop and bend for faith

we present ourselves as believers but we act

as if we are only here to care for ourselves.

Help us to be humble gardeners in your fields

let us be broken open with love and forgiveness

make us steadfast and constant in our care

and let us be your abundant love in action. Amen.