Divine and human mystery

 

Sunday 12 July 2026

Lectio Divina:*

Isaiah 55:10-11 Psalm 64(65)

Romans 8:18-23 Matthew 13:1-23

Meditatio:

‘But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty’ (Matthew 13:23)

Commentary:

Since retirement and moving to the countryside, I have had the space, time and opportunity to take up gardening. I am still learning. The pleasure of seeing something grow from a tiny seed is a reward in itself. Yet I am very aware that I am only a partner in the process.

Someone else harvested, processed and packaged the seeds. The soil provided nourishment. Sunshine and plentiful Irish rain created the conditions for growth. And still, many seedlings failed to appear. Of the twenty-four seeds I planted in one tray, perhaps only half made it as far as transplanting. Gardening is a humbling experience.

It also reminds us how connected we are to the natural world. In recent years, concerns about climate change and environmental degradation have heightened our awareness of these connections. We are part of creation and dependent upon it in countless ways.

When Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower, he uses images that were immediately familiar to his listeners. Although farming methods have changed over two thousand years, the basic experience of sowing, waiting and harvesting remains much the same. The rhythms of growth still speak to us.

Growing lettuce and, especially, tomatoes, has reminded me that all good things take time. The harvest ultimately belongs to God. Our role is to sow seeds, to nurture, encourage and care. Like the gardener, we do what we can, but growth itself remains a mystery. Creation continually depends upon God's loving providence, and some things simply cannot be forced.

Sowing, planting, weeding, feeding, pruning, replanting, watering and waiting are all part of a natural rhythm. Our lives follow similar patterns. We experience seasons of growth and decline, fruitfulness and barrenness, beginnings and endings. Nothing remains static. The rhythms of creation reveal something of the wisdom of the Creator and invite us to respect the delicate balance of life.

Beneath the image of sowing lies the reality of growth and change, much of which is beyond our control. Not everything that is sown will flourish. Some seeds never sprout. Others grow quickly but fade just as fast. Jesus saw in these natural processes a lesson about human life and faith.

Some people receive God's word enthusiastically but struggle to persevere. Others begin with generosity but become distracted by worries, ambitions or the pursuit of power. Still others quietly and faithfully give themselves where they are planted and bear abundant fruit as husbands, wives, parents, leaders, servants or prophets.

The Parable of the Sower suggests four broad responses to God's word:

1. Those who do not listen or allow the word to take root.
2. Those who receive it enthusiastically but soon fall away.
3. Those who begin well but become overwhelmed by life's worries and distractions.
4. Those who welcome the word, allow it to grow and bear lasting fruit.

Most of us can recognise something of ourselves in each of these soils. Different stages of life can reveal different responses. Someone may enter religious life in early adulthood but later find it impossible to persevere in that calling. Years later, that same person may discover a new way of serving God and others. A relationship may wither under years of neglect and difficulty. Yet even then, God continues to sow new seeds.

This is perhaps one of the most hopeful aspects of the parable. The four soils are not simply categories into which people are permanently assigned. Rather, they reveal the generosity of God, who never ceases scattering seeds of grace. No matter our age or history, God continues to offer new beginnings and fresh possibilities.

I am reminded of some hardy geraniums that survived years of exposure to the easterly winds outside. After appearing lifeless through the winter months, they unexpectedly burst into life again in spring. Grace often works in similar ways.

The parable certainly challenges us to become fertile soil: open, receptive and willing to let God's word take root. Yet it offers another consolation as well. Sometimes we feel planted in difficult, stony ground. We feel trapped by circumstances, limitations or disappointments. The sower invites us not to lose heart. We may be called simply to put down deeper roots where we are and trust that God can bring life from seemingly barren places.

Jesus also reminds us elsewhere that weeds can grow alongside good crops. Harmful seeds - resentment, selfishness, cynicism and pride - can find their way into our hearts. We must remain vigilant. The best response to bad seeds is to cultivate good ones.

To flourish as children of God, we need to be:

• Open and attentive to God's presence.
• Nourished by prayer, the sacraments and the support of others.
• Willing to begin again when we fail.
• Ready to flourish where we are planted.

My friend, do not be surprised if God is even now sowing new and good seeds in the soil of your life.