Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 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. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!” “Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” Matthew 13:1-9,18-23
I have often struggled with this story of Jesus preaching from the boat. Not his words about sowers and seeds, but the very practical obstacles that this picture paints. Water, even a lake, let alone a tidal sea, makes a good deal of noise and is hard to hear over. For me, that may be the most important point of the sowers and the seeds. The seeds are all good, but there is so much noise to drowned out the good, we sink into the cruelty of our world. We are always called to be good, fertile soil, even when we feel we can't hear Jesus at all. We are called to yield fruit and trust that God is working through all that we do, every day, no matter how we feel, or how little fruit we see. God sees our hearts and loves us in all seasons and times.
A Litany for Sunday, July 12, 2026
Gracious Creator, you teach us through the natural world
and speak to us through storms and wild, noisy seasons.
Lord Jesus, plant your love within us so we can serve the world.
The troubles of these days keep us from being rich soil
and the worries and anxiety creep in and we forget you.
Lord Jesus, plant your love within us so we can serve the world.
Gardeners know the challenges of earth, water and sky
yet too many are so far away from real, solid ground.
Lord Jesus, plant your love within us so we can serve the world.
Some feel abandoned, at sea, and full of pain and sorrow
yet you promise to find us in our darkest lonely times.
Lord Jesus, plant your love within us so we can serve the world.
In the summer heat and abundance of flowers and fruits
we forget to feed those who have no ground to till.
Lord Jesus, plant your love within us so we can serve the world.
Lord Jesus, make our hearts open to the seeds sown in us
so we might bring forth the real fruits of your living love.
Lord Jesus, plant your love within us so we can serve the world. Amen.
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