A Reflection on the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Last week’s Gospel sounds similar to last week.  Last week was the first half of Matthew’s Gospel and this week is the second.  Jesus says “Those with ears ought to hear”.  Last week the talk was about seeds scattered, falling to be eaten by birds, seeds among rocks, bearing fruit from rich soil.  Jesus explained to the apostles that He spoke in parables because the crowd’s faith still did not connect miracles with Jesus’ teaching.  The people were having a problem between, hearing and listening, between just hearing Jesus’ words and those who hearing His words, understood and acted on them.

This week, Jesus continues addressing the crowd in Parables from the boat.  Though it may sound the same, Jesus’ focus is now on those who spread the Word of God.  We hear about the Sower, a person planting a mustard seed, a woman kneading bread.

The Sower doing everything right, living the righteous life following the Law –planting good seed in rich soil, yet life is less than perfect. There is evil but the Sower says there will be justice and redemption at the harvest.

The seed as small as a mustard seed, even the smallest seed of the Word of God can grow large and provide life beyond its purpose, attracting birds that will take the Word to the far reaches of the land.  A simple smile can change a lot of peoples’ day.

Spreading the Word of God is open to everyone: man, woman, and child in the simple daily routines as making bread, preparing a meal, going to school, playing sports.  Each person in today’s Gospel is purposefully spreading the Word of God.  They have faith and trust in the Gifts they have been given.

Our eyes must be open to see, our ears open that we might hear the Word of God.  Very often in our living, we choke the Word with weeds, thickets and brambles of our own making.   The weeds that grow up and steal and rob us of being less of a disciple.  The thorns of our present sinfulness, becoming self-fulfilling prophets of our own downfalls.  The nets of technology and the trappings of progress.  How can I expect to see and hear the Word of Jesus when my neck is forever bent beneath the yoke of screens, pads, pods, phones.

In the readings of these parables of the seed, the Word comes before the parables of the Sowers.  The Word is a call to conversion to the Kingdom of the Father.  The Word is the revelation of the Father, the message, the Good News.  We are called to live in service to the Gospel.  As the hands and feet of Christ living in the world, we must proclaim the Kingdom not only to others but also to renew and convert ourselves.  To separate the wheat from the weeds. The challenge is awesome.