1. The Parable of the Sower

2. “Listen! A sower went out to sow Jesus began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching, he said to them:

3. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path

4. and the birds came and ate it up

5. Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil

6. and it sprung up quickly, but since it had no root, it withered away

7. Other seed fell among thorns

8. and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain

9. Other seed fell into good soil

10. and brought forth grain

11. growing up

12. and increasing one hundredfold.”

13. And Jesus said, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!”

14. Jesus is the first farmer. It is Christ who has sown the seed of faith In our hearts And that seed is the word of God.

15. Some seed falls by the wayside, some on stony ground, and some among the weeds and thorns.

16. but some seed also falls on good soil that is among men and women who are open in their lives to a personal relationship with Christ and to solidarity with their neighbour. #15

17. ‘Two thousand years ago Jesus proclaimed the Gospel in Palestine and sent the disciples to sow the Gospel in the world. Today, Jesus Christ, present in the Church through his Spirit, continues to scatter the Word of God ever more widely in the field of the world.’ General Directory for Catechesis n15

18. Prayer Response So often the message of Christ remains on the edge of our lives. It does not affect our decisions. It does not penetrate our thinking. God, the source of all knowledge and wisdom, allow my ears to hear your Word, my mind to understand, and my heart to respond.

19. Cynicism, unyielding retention of my own opinion, unwillingness to be open to growth can close the ears of my heart. Loving God, allow the ear of my heart to be open to your voice speaking through the Word or through the voice of others.

20. The sower sows; the seed is neither carefully measured out nor is it protected. The sower seems oblivious to the ground’s condition. The seed is simply scattered liberally. And at the end of the story there is plenty to harvest. Creator God, allow us to scatter the seed of your Word liberally and not focus too much on the type of ground that might be before us.

21. May God, who gives seed to the sower And corn to the reaper, Bless us as we begin this time together In the name of the Father, and of the Son And of the Holy Spirit. Amen