January 28, 2015 - Wednesday

But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” (Mark 4:20 NABRE)

Natural spring near the route to Jerusalem*

Jesus often taught crowds of people with parables (a type of analogy used to teach a lesson), but he saved the interpretation of the parables for his disciples. He taught each group according to its capacity to understand.*

Today's verse is from one such parable, a familiar one called the Parable of the Sower. In it, the sowing of seed represents the breakthrough of the kingdom of God into the world. As the sower walks along, seeds fall on different types of ground each with a different outcome:

• Seeds on the path are eaten by birds. Jesus say some of us have the word taken away by Satan as soon as we hear it.
• Seeds on rocky ground sprout quickly, get scorched, and dry up for lack of roots. Jesus says others of us hear the word, receive it with joy, but fall away when persecution comes because of the word.
• Seeds that land among thorns are choked out and produce no grain. Jesus says some of us hear the word but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit.
• Seeds planted in rich soil produce abundant fruit. Jesus says others of us hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.

The various types of soil refer to the diversity of our personal responses to God's kingdom and the outcomes of each response. The seeds planted in rich soil yield a great harvest indicating the ultimate consummation and fulfillment of the kingdom.*

Lord Jesus, Word of God, thank you for teaching us about God's kingdom in our world. Protect me from Satan who would keep me from knowing you. Protect me from fear and give me courage in those not-so-infrequent moments when I receive persecution because of your word. Protect me from anything this world offers that might choke out your word. Only you can protect me from these things so I ask for your Divine Mercy. Open my heart so I can hear your word and accept it. Give me opportunities to share with others about your word so that they too might bear fruit as seeds planted in rich soil.


Today, I will seek Jesus' protection against the pitfalls and dangers I will face.


Saint Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church, pray for us.