Gospel – Matthew 13:1-9

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down 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.”

Reflection on Sunday Gospel

Let us remember we are in the holy presence of God…

Parables- aren’t they wonderful? Who does not like a well told story, especially when it relates to real life and contains in it a message of revelation and truth? Jesus often used this popular form of teaching to explain what we might today consider complex theological statements such as the nature of Kingdom of God or to explain the complexities of human nature such as forgiveness or love.

Parables welcome us to consider the use of everyday images to reveal God’s nature or God’s creative plan for us. The hospitality of the parable is that it invites us in to the story to consider where it resonates with us, touches us, inspires us, challenges us, perhaps even admonishes us but always –always welcomes us to consider our personal relationship with God and how we live that relationship.

Saint John Baptist de La Salle taught the first Brothers and students to always remember that they were in the presence of God. That act of remembering would influence their choices, their actions, their interactions. The act of remembering that you are continually in God’s presence transforms you, it invites you to see life through the eyes of faith- just like this parable. Saint La Salle used images or icons such as the Good Shepherd, Guardian angels and the qualities of a mother and father to provide guidance as to how the Brothers were to interact with their students, how to live the Kingdom of God.

This parable is like a kaleidoscope, you can “turn the story” and the lens shifts and offers us new views by which to consider its meaning. One of the images that Jesus uses in this parable is that of a sower of seeds. This image was very familiar to the people who were listening to Jesus tell this story. Sowing seeds, in order to grow crops was a very important part of the agricultural society of Jesus’ time. The sower did not prepare the fields he was called upon to sow. The preparation of the land was the responsibility of another, perhaps a farmer. The responsibility of the sower was to provide the best seed possible so the crops had an opportunity to take root and thrive.

I would like us to consider viewing this parable of the Kingdom of God through the lens of the sower.

I offer these examples for your consideration. Listen, you may “see yourself” through these examples:

A student from one of our DENA schools travels to a sister school in Kenya and realizes that if the students had mosquito nets for their beds it will help them to avoid mosquito borne diseases.  She organizes a mosquito net drive at her school and donates hundreds of nets to our Twinned schools in Kenya.

Two students, from two different DENA schools, who attended last year’s Lasallian Youth Summer Assembly, worked together in association to plan a community service week for their two schools to participate in. It took place earlier this year during a recent school break.

Students hearing of their teacher’s upcoming travel to our sister school in Cazeau, Haiti  collected soccer balls for him to take to the school for the students use during recreation time.

Students organized a food drive for local food pantries and over 45,000 food items were collected.

Students participate in a sleep-out to raise awareness of the plight of the homeless in their community and in doing so raise money to assist nonprofits who serve the local community.

Students take time to tutor in other students in their school.

These actions that I mentioned speak for themselves. They are but a few examples of the way that we, as Lasallians, are animating this parable!

We are called by Jesus to be a sower in the Kingdom of God!

As we enter into this week of faith, service and community, a week where we celebrate 20 years of Lasallian Youth association let us consider for a moment:what we will sow this week?

What will I sow? What will you sow?

How will you express the Kingdom of God? Through active participation, by being truly present to those we serve, by doing acts of kindness for members of our community, treating all you meet with respect, forgiving transgressions, being honest and kind…what seed will you sow?

For this week we are the sowers. We are called to spread the word of God, to live the Kingdom! In the words of Saint Francis of Assisi: preach the Gospel often and if necessary use words.

The call is here! The Spirit is moving! Will your answer be “Here I am Lord, I have come to do your will?”

AMEN!  AMEN!

St. John Baptist de La Salle … Pray for Us!

Live Jesus in our Hearts … Forever!

Ms. Maryann Donohue-Lynch – reflection for the Lasallian Youth Assembly – 2014