Bearing Fruit

Again he began to teach beside the lake. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the lake on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’ And he said, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’ When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, ‘To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that “they may indeed look, but not perceive, and may indeed listen, but not understand; so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.” ’ And he said to them, ‘Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing. And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’ Mark 4:1-20

We have been enjoying a few days of vacation in the part of the world that is truly home for me. As a child, the tip of South Jersey was covered with farms and grazing land, as well as the fishing boats heading out for a catch. Our family friends were farmers and fishermen. We ate fresh from the fields. Now it is mostly covered with expensive vacation homes. Corn, tomatoes, lima beans, watermelon and other summer delights were in abundance. As were grazing fields of cattle and sheep, right next to the ocean. I understand we all need vacations, yet as so few people farm and produce anything, I wonder if we will be able to imagine what Jesus is talking about, let alone taking the lessons to heart. 

Abundant Creator, source of life

we see your creation with great joy

yet we too often try to build on it

and take advantage of other in it.

You promised times of rest and ease

you taught us how to be grateful always

yet we are too greedy and selfish

and we want the good things all to ourselves.

Help us Lord to be willing to plant and sow

let us be those who are willing to feed others

may our lives be dedicated to bearing fruit

the good fruit of love, worthy of your reign. Amen.