Sunday Gospel reflection – The seeds of Wisdom
Seeds of Wisdom
“The reason that I talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding.” Jesus knew that people would listen to stories and remember them. Parable sounds like parallel. A parable is a story that runs parallel to life, like a mirror that travels beside you in which you can see your life.
How we listen
Jesus compared his teaching to seeds planted in different sorts of soil. A seed is not of much use if it is left in a paper packet. It must be mixed in the earth. Scripture, the word of God, must be taken from the paper and planted in the earth of life. Only then will it be life-giving. But there are different levels of listening. Every speaker must remember that what is communicated is not necessarily what is said but what is heard. Everything that is read or heard is filtered through the mind of the reader or listener. One listener is delighted while another gets nothing out of the same sermon. There were very different reactions to the preaching of Jesus. Some people were filled with awe at his gracious words while others boiled over with anger and were hardened in their prejudice. The sermon is the same but ‘tis the listening that makes the difference. The parable of the sower and seed challenges us about how we listen.
Different soils
Some seed fell on the edge of a path, on hard soil. Birds devoured it before it got into the soil. Our minds are miles away, totally distracted and we take nothing in. Nothing has lodged in the memory. The shallow soil is alright on the surface but rocky underneath. This represents the shallow person who hears in a superficial way but is more likely to remember who sat in which seat, or how somebody was dressed, than to take to heart anything that the readings said. Other seeds started to grow but the shoots were choked by thorn bushes. Sometimes good intentions do not last long because the mind is too preoccupied by other concerns and worries. Finally, there is the good soil which produces a crop in various amounts. If one prepares the soil beforehand there is every chance that the seed will flourish. Before reading or hearing the scripture, always pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance. And if you have to listen to your least favourite preacher, pray to the Holy Spirit for the poor preacher and for yourself. Ask God for a living word. Have a positive attitude that this reading or talk is just what I need today. Even if the preacher is poor, his incompetence might touch the compassionate quality of your heart. The most unwilling and incompetent preacher in the bible was Jonah yet the people pitied him and his preaching converted an entire city. Amazing how a spoonful of sympathy can change our mentality!
(Extract from Silvester O’Flynn, Gospel Reflections and Prayers, Columba Press)
Recent Posts
Archives
- September 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- August 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- August 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014