A Reflection of Matthew 13:1-23
If I could summarize the message of Matthew 13 in three simple words, I would say: receive, remove, remain. I call them the three Rs (I thought that was clever). If we do these three things, God promises that our lives will bear abundant fruit.
First, receive.
God says through the prophet Isaiah that just as rain and snow come down from heaven and water the earth, so shall the word that goes forth from His mouth be. It will not return to Him empty. God’s word always accomplishes what He intends.
When we hear “the Word of God,” we naturally think of Scripture. But ultimately, the Word of God is a person: the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, our Savior. Scripture reveals Him, the Church proclaims Him, and the homily points us toward Him. At every Mass, we encounter the living Word of God, especially when Christ gives Himself completely to us in the Holy Eucharist.
We sometimes hear, “I just don’t get anything out of Mass.” But perhaps there is a better question: How did I receive God’s word?
Like in Matthew 13, what kind of soil did I bring with me? Was my heart open? Was I truly listening?
The problem is never the seed. The sower scatters seed everywhere—even on rocky ground, among thorns, and along the path. No farmer would normally do that! But it shows us how incredibly generous God is with His love and mercy. He never stops offering His grace. The Cross is the greatest proof of that infinite generosity.
The question is not whether God is speaking. The question is whether we are listening.
St. Jerome famously said, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” When I heard that in seminary, it changed my life. I realized how little I knew about Scripture, so I began studying it more deeply—and through Scripture, I came to know Jesus Christ more fully.
Receiving God’s word, however, is only the beginning. The second step is to remove.
A gardener does not simply plant seeds. He also removes whatever prevents them from growing. Jesus tells us what some of those obstacles are.
Sometimes it is sin, like the birds that snatch away the seed before it can take root. Sometimes it is busyness, like rocky soil that receives the word with joy but never allows deep roots to develop. Faith may flourish briefly, but then disappear when life becomes difficult or crowded.
For many of us, the obstacle may be thorns. Jesus says worldly anxiety and the lure of riches can choke the word. The seed is still there, but worry, fear, success, comfort, wealth, pleasure, and the desire for approval become louder than God’s voice.
What needs to be removed from my heart or my life? Is it habitual sin? Constant distraction? Anxiety? An attachment to money, possessions, success, or comfort?
Jesus describes hardened hearts, shallow hearts, distracted hearts, and receptive hearts. Which one describes me today?
Finally, Jesus asks us to remain.
We do not become rich soil simply by trying harder. We become rich soil by remaining close to Christ. A gardener does not yell at plants to grow—although I planted a garden this year and have caught myself doing exactly that! Instead, he waters, cultivates, removes weeds, and patiently cares for the garden.
We remain with Christ through daily prayer, Sacred Scripture, Eucharistic Adoration, and the Mass. The Catechism reminds us in paragraph 2705 that Christians owe it to themselves to meditate regularly, lest they resemble the first three kinds of soil.
The good news of Matthew 13 is that soil can change. A hardened heart can be softened. A rocky heart can be deepened. A thorn-filled heart can be cleared. Jesus, the Divine Gardener, can transform us if we allow Him.
Receive His word with an open heart. Remove whatever keeps it from taking root. Remain close to Christ each day.
Then God will fulfill His promise: our lives will bear fruit thirty, sixty, and one hundredfold.
Father James Schibi, Pastor