When the Gospel takes root
The parable of the sower (Matthew 13.1-23), which opens the great discourse of parables in the Gospel of Matthew, tells first of all the adventure of the word of God. Jesus he compares it to a seed: a small and apparently insignificant reality, which nevertheless contains an extraordinary vital force. Whoever looks only at appearances sees a speck; those who know how to wait already see the harvest hidden inside that seed. To understand the parable we must not stop immediately at the different types of terrain. The main accent falls on the final result. It is true that part of the seed falls on the path, among the stones or among the thorns, but these details serve above all to highlight the contrast with the final outcome: the seed that falls on the good soil produces a surprising harvest, even one hundred percent, an unthinkable surrender for the agriculture of the time.
The parable was born in a difficult moment in the life of Jesus. Misunderstandings and rejections grow around him, and even the disciples can be tempted from discouragement. Here then is the message that Jesus intends to deliver: we must not measure the effectiveness of the word of God by immediate results. They will always be there resistances and failures, but the final fruitfulness of the word will exceed all expectations.
This word is profoundly different from our words, often consumed in noise and sterile discussions. As the prophet Isaiah reminds us in the first reading (55.10-11), it does not return to God without having accomplished what she was sent for. In the Bible, God’s words coincide with his actions: his word is not just a message, but a strength that transforms reality. However, this force never imposes itself. Jesus chooses the language of parables precisely because he wants to involve freedom of the listener. The parable does not offer pre-packaged answers, but invites us to reflect and take a position. This is why some remain on the surface, while others open up to a deeper understanding. The problem is not that God refuses to speak, but that man can close the heart and become unable to really listen.
The explanation of the parable highlights the different ways of welcoming the word. There are those who lose it immediately due to superficiality, those who get excited for a moment but can’t stand the test, those who let it suffocate them from the worries and interests of life. Only good soil is he who listens to her, understands and preserves. Matthew particularly insists on this verb: “to understand”. It is not enough to hear; we need to let the word speak enlighten intelligence and transform lives.
The final message, however, remains that of hope. Jesus does not focus on barren land, but on the abundant harvest. God continues to sow even when the soil seems unpromising. For this reason, no parent should despair for a child who he walked away by faith, no educator must consider the good sown useless, no Christian must allow himself to be overcome by discouragement. The sower continues to sow the seed which, sooner or later, will find good soil in which to germinate. We can then pray: «Lord Jesus, make our heart good earth. Free him from superficiality and distractions, so that the seed of your Gospel can take deep root and bear abundant fruit.”
