HOMILY
FOR THE 15TH SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR, A
Rev.
Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi
Matthew as the first of
the four Gospels in the New Testament reflects the structure of the first books
of the Old Testament; that is, the structure of five (the Pentateuch). Apart
from its prologue (chapters 1-2) and epilogue (chapters 26-28), the Gospel of
Matthew is divided into five discourses: the Sermon on the Mount, the missionary
discourse, the parabolic discourse, the ecclesiastical discourse and the
eschatological discourse. Each of these discourses concludes with the
formula ‘when Jesus finished these
words’ or one similar to it (Mat 7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1). The third
discourse (Matthew 13:1-53) provides several parables of the kingdom of heaven.
These parables are of two parts: the ones that took place outside (when Jesus leaves the house and
addresses all people including his disciples) and the ones that took place inside
the house (when Jesus goes
back inside the house and addresses his disciples). Under the first part, the
first of them is the parable of the Sower. And that is the Gospel of today and
the central point around which our reflection circulates.
Jesus uses in this parable
the picture which every inhabitant of Palestine would easily have understood. But
there is a point which many Bible versions try to obscure. It is the
translation: a sower instead of the sower. The original Greek has it as the sower. The use of the definite
article the possibly has two
implications. One is that it may
have been that Jesus pointed to a particular sower who was seen visibly by all
present. We must recall that Jesus taught from the boat by the seashore; and
the fields around the seashore attracted many farmers. It is not therefore
ruled out that a farmer was there. So, pointing to an actual farmer who was
doing his job, Jesus said the sower as
if he was trying to say look at the sower
there sowing his seeds. In this case, Jesus uses what is perceptible; that
which here and now to teach about
that which is there and then.
Another
is that Jesus had in mind the particular sower that he was talking about. It is
most likely, especially from the meaning we make of the explanation of the
parable by Jesus that the sower is the evangelizer, the preacher of the word. The
prototype of these preachers is Christ. In this viewpoint, the sower here is
the preacher who stands at the pulpit spreading and announcing the message to
people of different temperaments, dispositions, consciences, and hearts. The difference
in the people can be analogous to the different surfaces the seeds that the
sower was sowing fell unto. In this case, Jesus opens our minds to the
differences of the hearts that receive the Gospel message. The truth of the
matter is that no one should blame another on any category he/she finds
him/herself. The First Reading (Isaiah 55:10-11) was explicit on this that the Lord makes the rain and the snow to
fall down to water the earth and does not return to the heavens until it
accomplishes its purpose. So too, the word of the Lord falls on every heart
because no heart can claim to have not been watered by God. A person is held
accountable for the kind of heart he has: hard, emotional, superficial, thorny,
soft or tender. From the narration of the parable then, we discover then that
there are four ways for the ground (hearts) to hear and receive the word (seed).
1. The seed that fell
along the path (hardened hearts)
The pathways are
trodden down as hard as pavement by the constant use of the travelling public. This
is the wayside referred to by Christ. These are the large number of people that
heard the word but did not allow the word to permanent root. They did not understand
the word. They were in Church regularly, but never did they allow the word to
penetrate. They pay little or no attention to what is going on in the Church. They
have no interest and are indifferent, failing to realize how important the word
is to them. They do not know the name of their Pastor or his assistant. They do
not care about the program of the parish but will like to be acknowledged as her
members. They do not belong to any pious group in the Church, and even when
they belong show little or no commitment. Such persons, even when they are
touched by a particular homily, it lasts only for a few moments. Christ said
that the evil one comes and snatches away whatever word is sown.
There are reasons why
people act in this manner. A) They are easily rebellious to any
suggestion to move the Church forward. If they encounter problems in life, they
easily blame God for it. B) They are distracted by many things. The Gospel is
not their prerogative in life C) They treat the Gospel as a part of life
instead of life itself. Their attitude is that the Gospel has its place, but it
is not the permeating factor of life that so many make of it. D) What matters
to them is being present in Church, and associating socially with other Christians.
A change of life is somewhat meaningless. They love ceremonies, and prefer the
Church to be ceremonious always, dancing and acting drama for fun. Such
persons need encouragement. But encourage
one another daily...so that no of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness
(Heb. 3:13).
2. The seeds that fell
on rocky places (Dramatic conversion and profession)
In some parts of
Palestine lying right beneath the ground is a layer of limestone. When seeds
fell upon this ground, the limestone holds the rain and heat from the sunlight
under the surface; therefore the seed sprouts quickly without having any root. These
are the persons that appear to have a dramatic and a sudden conversion. They make
a decision for Christ, and stands as an example of a changed life and quick
growth, but the change lasts only for some time. This person hears the word, receives
it immediately and with joy but endures for a while.
The
reasons why these people fail are: A) He has no root. He has not grounded
himself in the life of prayer and reading of the word of God. He has not
learned the doctrine, discipline and devotion of the Christian faith. Perhaps,
he began with the emotional joy of the word. He cares little about the high
demands of Christ. He does not attend Catechism and if when he does cares
little to understand the rudiments of the faith into which he has been
converted. Most probably he was drawn to the faith through a friend or a good
pastor who in his mind is the best. Immediately the friend travels out or the
pastor is transferred he slacks. He rests his faith on transient things. B)
This person has little spiritual courage and strength to withstand the trials
and persecutions of life. Pressure from circumstances of former friends of the
world such as mockery and abuse annoys him deeply and causes him to give up. This
person is like a man who built his house on the ground without foundation. The moment
the torrent struck the house, it collapses and it is destroyed completely (Luke
6:4). Such persons need firmness; for
he who stands firm to the end will be saved (Mt 10:22).
3.
The seeds that fell on thorns (worldliness)
The
thorny ground is a deceptive ground. It looks good and clean and appears to be
clear of weeds and thorns, but it is not. Right under the surface is a chain of
roots ready to spring up, but the thorns being stronger cannot allow the good
seed to grow faster. They will choke the life out of the good seed. These are
the people who receive the word as an addition to their life. They do not allow
the Gospel to replace their worldliness and wealth. They do not truly repent. They
even see the Gospel as a way of enriching themselves the more. When they vie
for any office in the Church, they see wealth and money and never service. Consequently
the word of God is always choked in them. Thorns are the worries of this life. They
entangle a person to the things of the world. When a person’s mind is focused
on the worries of life, his mind is drawn away from God.
Thorns
are the deceitfulness of wealth. Wealth in itself is not worldly; it is its deceitfulness
that is. Wealth deceives in different ways: A) It tends to make a person
self-confident and self-dependent, thereby not trusting and calling upon God. B)
It tends to make a person overly extravagant, comfortable and indulgent. He
believes in himself more than God. C) It tends to make a person overly security
conscious, so as to protect what he has, and so consumes his mind. He thinks
less of God. D) It tends to make a person misinterpret the blessings of God. The
person now thinks that to have is to be blessed by God, and so those who do not
have are not blessed. These persons need detachment: for we brought nothing into this world and
we can take nothing out of it (1 Tim. 6:7).
4.
The seeds that fell upon good soil (salvation)
The
good soil allows the seed to germinate for it has the nutrients necessary for
it. A person who allows the word to take permanent root represents the honest
and good heart. He hears the word of God and understands it. His heart is
tender towards God; so he listens, meditates, and thinks. He is both physically
and mentally present in the Church. He is responsible and behaves intelligently
living out the Gospel in the church and at home. He is fruitful. He leads
others to Christ and to the knowledge of God. The bearing of fruit is that
which distinguishes the true believer from the hypocrite.
The
man who bears fruit does three things. He listens, he understands and he obeys.
He is never too proud to listen. His mind is open and willing to learn. He understands
the gospel and knows what it means for his life. He also translates the message
into action, and thus produces good fruits of the good seed. He believes that
the sufferings of this present life cannot be compared to the glory that is to
be revealed (cf. Second Reading; Rom 8:18-23). Fruit bearing entails
commitment. Some believers bear 30, some 60, some 100. Not all believers are
equal. Some make more effort than others. Some observe the norms and even go an
extra mile to see others observe them. Some give in all their energy, time, and
possessions for the upkeep of the church, while others donate from their
surplus and remains enough still for themselves.
In
conclusion, apart from the different dispositions of the hearers of the gospel,
the parable of the sower is also an encouragement to sowers; that is, to the
preachers of the Gospel. Do not be discouraged when you preach and preach, and yet
there is no conversion or change. If you have done your best, then do not be
despaired. But be rest assured that at least a few will bear fruit through your
message. Do not be discouraged by the multitude that drifts away. Do not look
for quick results. The message can take some time before the seed germinates in
the heart of men. It is true that we live in an age that looks for quick
results, but in the sowing of seeds we must sow in patience and in hope with
total trust in God.
May the Lord continue to be with the Preachers and the
Hearers of the Gospel message. Amen. I wish you a happy new week. God bless
you.
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