[Pearls Episode 139: Preparing for Sunday.]
As we look to this Sunday’s Gospel reading (in the postscript) we are focused on the disciple’s plea to Jesus, “increase our faith.” In yesterday’s message we were reminded that we must do our part to cultivate the gift of faith that we receive from God.
And we saw that St. John Chrysostom shows us a way to do that, based on the Parable of the Sower. We can compare our interior against the hardened path, rocky soil and thorns – to see if there are areas we need to tend so that we have an interior that is steadily transformed into rich soil – no weeds, no rocks, and where seeds sprout quickly and produce tremendous fruit. We likened this to a spiritual X-ray.
So, today we look closer at Jesus’ words, and how we can test our interior against them:
Hardened Path: Jesus says, “And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up… The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart.”
- The key here is that we don’t understand God’s word. This can also mean “we don’t accept God’s word.” Cyril of Alexandria likens this to a “a mind hardened” so that we can’t “understand the touchstone of the mystery…”
- Here are two types of ”hardened pathways” we might find in our soul:
- Rejecting Church teaching. We recall a time when we fell into thinking, “I don’t really need to go to confession for Jesus to forgive me.” And at present many reject the Church’s teaching on any of the hot-button issues of the day.
- Not learning our faith. We’re often quick to engage in continuing education, self-help, and life hacks. We really need to put that time into knowing our faith, knowing scripture, knowing God.
- Two virtues that will help soften the hardened pathways in our soul: humility, in case we have a hardness of heart to some aspect of God’s truth, and generosity to really give the best of ourselves to growing in our faith – for ourselves and those around us.
Rocky Ground: Jesus says, “Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots… The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away.”
- The question here is – what are those fears and anxieties that push our buttons and turn us from God? Is it health issues? Money problems? Challenges with relationships? What is it that we think is too big for God to handle?
- The operative virtue now is Trust. One approach, when anxieties arise, is to go back in time when we faced a similar situation and remind ourself that it turned out much better than we thought it would. We know, the lie creeps up that “well that was then, this is much more hopeless.” We have to renounce that lie. Looking at scripture we find the example of the Israelites delivered from Pharaoh just when all seemed hopeless.
Thorns: Jesus says, “Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it… The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the Word and it bears no fruit.”
- The Church Fathers point out that the anxiety Jesus is talking about here, is anxiety related to worldly riches and comfort. So this is related to our need to find our comfort and security in worldly goods and our plans and agendas.
- A key virtue here is detachment from our sources of comfort, and security, and our plans and agendas. Instead, we should seek those things first in God.
This isn’t meant to be a burden. It typically doesn’t take much reflection to quickly hone in on some low hanging fruit (to continue the agriculture metaphor) – and as St. John Chrysostom pointed out, Jesus will quickly show us how to transform it to rich soil.
There’s more detail on identifying and healing these picadilloes of our soul in this week’s Pearls episode.
And Monday we’ll take a look at what got the disciples asking for an increase in faith in the first place.
Blessings on your journey with Christ –
Steve and Karen Smith
Interior Life
Postscript: Luke Lk 17:5-10
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
“Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’? Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'”