July 12, 2026: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel: Matthew 13:1-23
On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. 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. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
The disciples approached him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see. Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be converted, and I heal them.
“But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
“Hear then the parable of the sower. 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 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 tribulations or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. 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. But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”
Reflection
I came across a comment of Pope Francis regarding this Gospel. He stated “Jesus invites us today to look inward; to give thanks for our good ground and to work on the ground not yet good.”
His reference to being grateful for “our good ground,” resonates well with me and I am confident that many share that feeling. What is the source of my/our joint confidence? Our faith legacy gifts us with an understanding that the “sower” in this parable is one who speaks God’s Word about the Reign of God. It is Jesus, a most generous Sower, who lavishly shares the seeds, which we understand to be the Word of God.
Jesus has given us the image of seeds scattered everywhere. If this were a true description of a farming practice, out thoughts might direct us to conclude that this seems like poor planning, a wasteful effort, an inefficient activity and an unprofitable effort for sure.
By farming practice standards, both back in Jesus’ day and extending into our modern times, this is a hopeless situation. These are not, however, the concerns of the sower of God’s Word.
Through this parable, Jesus is offering us an insight about God’s faithfulness, and offering a commentary about the potential that the quality of the soil (ground) of our hearts has. In the world of all Divine Sower, seeming wastefulness gives way to hope, apparent inefficiency offers an avenue to love, and any concerns about business profitability pales in comparison to God’s generosity.
Let us look to Jesus, the Sower. He did not hold back during his ministry on earth. He was aware that only some heard, understood and bore fruit. He was undeterred.
He still lavishly sowed seeds as we read in the Gospels. His ministry of generosity continues to this day and he invites us to participate in it.
We are called to be more than passive recipients of the Gospel. Our task, as hearers of the Word, is to spread the seed of the Good News that we have received. It needs to be shared all the time with everyone we encounter.
Action
Return to Pope Francis’ words, where he states that we might need to “work on the ground (of our hearts) not yet good.”
Seek to nourish the soil or ground of your heart. It may involve spending time each day focusing on a Gospel passage. When the Holy Spirit leads you to a word or phrase, let it sink into your heart like a seed in good soil or ground.
It might lie dormant for a while, but trust that the Spirit might burst forth from that seed and enrich the soil of your heart.
