Prop 10 A + Sower + 7.12.20

(The Sower, Vincent Van Gogh)

M. Campbell-Langdell

All Santos, Oxnard

(Ps. 119:105–112; Romans 8:1–11; St. Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23)

A sower went out to sow…. The Spanish service had the opportunity to listen to this parable again on Tuesday, performed by the radio play “Un Tal Jesús”, and in it a man brought his nephew out to sow seeds in a field. They planted all over the land while he explained how certain land has weeds, is more full of stones, or is more fertile.

Many of you know a lot about planting and reaping. I am very ignorant in these things. Recently some very kind parishioners have given me some plants to plant in my garden. In the beginning, it was great! We saw them growing really well. But now there have come little insects that kill the leaves, and snails that eat the small cucumbers and tomatoes. So several times a week I put some soapy water on the leaves and remove the snails. I have seen how much work goes into getting some produce from plants - and even more so to have results sixty or one hundred times! Harvesting is hard!

But this parable not only talks about how difficult it is to sow and harvest. It speaks, as Jesus says, of the Word of God. And how we have to spread it everywhere and not make judgments about where the seed should fall.

Nine years ago I preached on this passage to our congregation, just before we were to have our history day. I was trying to encourage you all to be a church that sows the Word. And I know we are sowers. In these nine years that I have been here you have grown – in fact a parishioner who was a youth then just became a mother! But you have also brought others to the congregation, and even possibly to the faith.

On Tuesday evening in the Un Tal Jesus Bible Study, we talked about how we need faithful leadership in the church that helps us be fertile ground to receive the Word of God. And I try to do this. It's kind of weird right now when it is dangerous to meet for in person groups. So we are offering prayer, spiritual communion, a rosary in Spanish, and online Bible study. We want to invite the church to participate, but we also want to grow! We want to invite others to join us online. We have seen a bit of this on Facebook. But we can take this opportunity to share the link of something we like with a friend who feels lonely or bored or in need right now. Who knows if they have a Jesus-sized hole in their hearts?

What I know is that everyone's spiritual terrain can dry up if we don't take care of it, especially in this scary time. How can you irrigate your spirit? Read the bible. Read Sunday's passage, or whatever verse you find. If you can, read it daily, even a little bit. Take time in prayer, even a brief moment in your day can make a difference. Talk to me if you need prayer resources. Text or call someone to pray with them, or share a prayer. All this is like a fountain that waters our inner terrain. Are there weeds in your life? Something that takes away your desire to listen to God? For some, it is spending too much time watching the news or on social media? Is there someone saps your spirit? Whatever it is that makes your interior landscape too rocky or overgrown with weeds, carefully prune this practice or time with that person. You don't have to totally remove it or them from your life. But take care of your time and attention, because this is how one can become fertile ground. Try to rest one day a week, if possible, or whatever way you can. Resting land is more receptive to the seed that brings the great harvest.

What makes me happy in this parable is that we are not the ones who bring abundance. We share the good news everywhere, and then we let God bring about the growth. We have no control over this. We just spread the seed and God brings growth there it is meant to happen, even in unexpected places. And God can bring abundance where everything seems lost. And this is good news at any time!