Thin, Thorny, or Hard as a Rock

With a name like “Hurd,” it’s evident that my heritage lies more with livestock, than it does with agriculture. Thus, maybe I can blame my ancestors for my “black thumb.” Seriously, the only thing I seem to grow well are dandelions.

Nevertheless, I do know enough to appreciate that not all soil is the same. A Nigerian parishioner once described his come country to me as a “land flowing with milk and honey.” All one needs to do there, he insisted, is plant seeds, after which anything and everything grows beautifully! Most soil, however, is of a different quality. To be profitable, it requires weeding, plowing, watering, and fertilizing- over and over again! Great effort is necessary.

Isn’t this implied in Jesus’ parable of the seeds and the soil? Much of the scattered seed of God’s Word falls on soil that’s either thin, thorny, or hard as a rock. Don’t those conditions describe all of us at times? Aren’t we all, on occasion, resistant, dismissive, or deaf to God’s Word? But it doesn’t always have to be that way. Poor soil can become good soil. If we change our thinking and our priorities, God’s Word can change our lives.

Such change may require hard work. Jesus assures us, however, that the fruits of our labors, will bring forth great fruits of the Spirit.

Readings for today’s Mass: http://www.usccb.org/nab/072011.shtml

Photo Credit: matze_ott via Creative Commons