A seed gives us a wonderful example of God’s creation. A mighty oak grows from a small acorn. A beautiful daisy arises from a formless seed. From nothing comes something truly marvelous. Every plant and tree in a forest comes from a seed and then they create more seeds.
The meaning of the Gospel parable about seeds as applied to all of us is explained in the text itself. For example, “The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold."
Simply put, we are supposed to be rich soil in which the Word of God takes hold. We then speak and act the Word – act like Jesus through works of compassion, charity, and forgiveness. Unfortunately, many of us seem to be thorny ground so tangled with worries and woes that we make no time for other people who need us.
Better yet, we can be the sun and warm rain for other people helping them get through the dry and parched times of their lives when they feel like rocky and barren ground lacking joy and love. We can be their plows that break up and bury the rocks, and we can be their fertilizer that nourishes.
A wealthy business man decided it was time to choose a successor to take over the company. He called all his young executives together and told them:
"It’s time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I’ve decided to choose one of you. I give each of you a seed - one very special seed. Plant it, water it, and then come back here one year from today. Then show me what you have grown from the seed. I will judge your plants, and the owner of the one I choose will be the next CEO."
Jack received his seed, and he planted it in a pot with rich soil. Every day he watered it and watched to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about the plants that were beginning to grow. Jack kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.
Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jack didn't have one, and he felt like a failure. He just knew he had killed his seed. A year finally went by and all the young executives brought their plants to the CEO for his inspection. All had a variety of beautiful plants of all shapes and sizes. Jack put his empty pot on the floor.
When the CEO arrived, he said "My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown. Today one of you will be appointed as the next CEO!"
He asked Jack what had happened to his seed, and Jack told him the story. The CEO then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jack!"
The CEO explained, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. But I gave all of you boiled seeds; they were dead. It was impossible for them to grow. All of you, except Jack, have brought me trees, plants and flowers.
When you found your seeds would not grow, you substituted other seeds for the ones I gave you. Jack was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is your new Chief Executive Officer."
If we are not sure of the answer, remember that we are all planted in rich soil, good ground, we call the Catholic Church helping us to live, to grow, to flourish – teaching us to be courageous and honest.
As Jesus said in the last line of the Gospel, “Whoever has ears, ought to hear.”
Deacon David Pierce
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