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Homilies by Rev. Andrew Collis unless indicated otherwise.
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Ordinary Sunday 15, Year A
South Sydney Uniting Church
July 16, 2017
Matthew 13:1-9
‘Good soil, good learning’
Jesus was a creative teacher. He used parables, story-
This means that Jesus liked stories and pictures very much; he knew that stories were/are fun to hear, fun to remember; that pictures help people to think and understand, and even become better, more sensitive and caring people. There’s a “corny” joke in the parable too, when Jesus says, “Let those who have ears to hear, hear this!” God be with you ...
The parable we have read today is the first parable Jesus tells in Matthew’s Gospel. A farmer sows seed and some seed lands on a footpath ... some falls on rocky ground ... some falls among thorns ... and some lands on good soil ...
Later, Jesus explains that the parable is about how different people hear his teaching about God, love and peace. The soil is a way of thinking about the heart, about the heart that listens (the ear of the heart) ...
Some people hear but don’t understand (perhaps they don’t ever put what they hear into practice, into action – which is very important when it comes to God, love and peace), and the lesson is lost. God, love and peace are then simply words. Just like the seed that’s eaten by the birds.
Some people are like the rocky ground. They are quick to get excited about Jesus’ teaching, but because the seed they receive can only produce tiny roots, the lesson is forgotten. God, love and peace can make some people very excited for a short time. But maybe they don’t ask too many questions. Maybe they don’t read many other stories, or pray with others, or think about how other people, and animals too, need love and peace. They give up on God ... on peace ... on love ...
The third kind of people are those who hear the word of Jesus – about God, love and peace – but are so worried about becoming successful and rich, maybe famous too, that they don’t really understand. The seed they receive produces a crop but the plant is choked off by thorns and bears no fruit.
And then, says Jesus, there are those who hear the message and truly understand it. They enjoy hearing about God, love and peace. They practise and experiment. They ask questions. They read and talk and pray with others. They are not worried whether loving leads to fame or wealth, so long as it leads to life. Their hearts are like good soil. And all kinds of miracle – fruitfulness beyond calculation/expectation – can happen in good-
That’s the parable. What do you think? ...
It’s interesting, I think, that Jesus invites us to observe the soil, to learn from the land ... We are all related, in and with soil, earth, country ... We need the rain, the warmth of the sun, and the nourishment of deep-
How would you describe good soil? What does it look like? What does it feel like? ...
How might you/we become more like this good soil? ...
One way is to learn how to listen. Aboriginal people from southern Queensland have a word for deep listening: dadirri …
How to really listen to teachers, neighbours, strangers, and to God. We really need to have ears (like ears of corn, wheat or barley) sensitive to new stories and new friends. To listen when someone is speaking to us, or silent, or pleading, or stammering. To listen for what we have not heard. To listen for what we have not understood. To listen with ears and eyes, hands and hearts. To listen with our lips and voices, in deep and respectful conversation ...
When we are listening like this, we are actually preparing for relationship/friendship … beyond calculation/expectation …
Just as guitar practice is preparation for musical performance … beyond calculation/expectation ……
Just as Keith the gardener prepares a garden bed with compost for vegetables and flowers to flourish …
Just as working-
When we are listening, we are praying. And we are learning, really learning (to enact, to make, to perform, to do) love and peace.
May we have ears to hear this gospel. Amen.