Mark 4:1-20

Hebrews 10:11-18

Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4

Mark 4:1-20

On another occasion, Jesus began to teach by the sea.

A very large crowd gathered around him 

so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down.

And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land.

And he taught them at length in parables, 

and in the course of his instruction he said to them, 

“Hear this!  A sower went out to sow.

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

and the birds came and ate it up.

Other seed 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 

and it produced no grain.

And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit.

It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”

And when he was alone, 

those present along with the Twelve 

questioned him about the parables.

He answered them, 

“The mystery of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you.

But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that

    they may look and see but not perceive,

        and hear and listen but not understand,

    in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.”

Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable?

Then how will you understand any of the parables?

The sower sows the word.

These are the ones on the path where the word is sown.

As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once 

and takes away the word sown in them.

And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, 

when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy.

But they have no roots; they last only for a time.

Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, 

they quickly fall away.

Those sown among thorns are another sort.

They are the people who 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.

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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, thank you for sowing your Word into the depths of my heart. May the Word find in me deep, rich soil that is free of thorns. If there are rocks or thorns that need to be removed, remove them.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Three Failed Responses to God’s Word: God the Father has spread his Word throughout human history. Jesus, the incarnate Word of God, speaks about three failures to welcome the seed of the Word and bear fruit. The first failure is to be like a hardened path. Any seed that falls on the path remains outside the heart and is rejected outright. The outright indifference and rejection of God’s Word gives Satan free rein to keep the person from welcoming God’s transforming divine life. The second failure is to be like rocky ground. Unlike the hardened soil of the path, the rocky ground is welcoming soil, but it is not deep soil. This is like the person who is enthusiastic about encountering God’s Word, but whose conversion only lasts a couple weeks or months. After the initial enthusiasm passes, they quickly fall away. It is like a person who makes a New Year’s resolution, but after a month reverts to their old ways. The third failure is to be like seed sown among thorns. Unlike the hardened soil of the path, they welcome the word. Unlike the rocky soil, they have deep soil. The problem is that another type of vegetation – thorny plants – takes over. Here, Jesus identifies three things that can choke the Word and prevent it from bearing fruit: worldly cares and anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things. Which of these chokes the Word of God in my life?

2. Three Good Responses to God’s Word: The parable about the sowing of God’s Word is not completely negative. The three negative responses are contrasted with three positive and supernatural responses to God’s Word. Thirty, sixty, and one hundred fold are all harvests that exceed nature. Only empowered by God’s grace, can our works bear supernatural fruit. What Jesus’ parable teaches is that the fruit – the spiritual harvest – of divine grace is not identical in each person. We are all called to collaborate with God’s grace and bear fruit in different ways. How am I collaborating with divine grace? How is God uniquely acting in my life?

3. The Word Sits at God’s Right Hand: The Letter to the Hebrews speaks about the mystery of where Jesus, our eternal high priest, currently ministers and reigns. The author of the letter points out that the Levitical priests stand daily and frequently offer – twice daily – animal sacrifices that can never take away sins. This Levitical priesthood is in stark contrast to that of Jesus. The Levitical priests stand; Jesus sits. The Levitical priests are subject to time and repeat their actions daily; Jesus is eternal. The Levitical priests cannot take away sins through their sacrifices; Jesus’ sacrifice is perfect and effective. The Levitical priests belong to the old Covenant written on tablets of stone. Jesus establishes the New Covenant, written on the heart. Jesus reigns now at his Father’s right hand and patiently waits until his enemies are definitively made his footstool. Jesus was victorious and has conquered but only at the end of time will his victory and conquest be definitive. Even now, Jesus intercedes with us as our high priest and reigns over all creation as our king. 

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, as you sit enthroned at the Father’s right hand, intercede for me and request the good things I need to grow in holiness and continue on the path that leads to eternal life.

Living the Word of God: How have I welcomed the seed of God’s Word? Am I indifferent to God’s Word? Do I only welcome it superficially? Am I overcome by the anxieties and cares of the world? Am I enticed by building up earthly (temporal) wealth or spiritual (eternal) treasure?