It’s Weeding Time!

Yesterday’s Gospel reading about the parable of the sowing of seeds reminded me that my “soil” or soul probably needs a little weeding…just like most farms or vegetable gardens at this time of year (and for sure our backyard patio!) Being a writer or storyteller myself,  I love that Jesus often talked in parables or stories full of description so that we of little understanding could get what He was saying – back then and now.

In Matthew’s Gospel (13:1-23), He tells of a farmer who goes to sow his seed; some gets eaten up by the birds, some falls on rocks, some falls in shallow soil and gets scorched, some falls among thorns (or weeds) and got choked, and some falls on good soil and grows and produces crops. “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means,” Jesus explains.  “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.â€

I have been struggling in trying to grow closer to God despite feeling overwhelmed with my workload and scattered in different directions, in trying to know and do His Will in my writing career despite worrying about a lack of income and difficulties with finances,  in trying to find peace and joy in each day despite feeling worried about the future, and in trying to know Him better by improving my relationships with other people despite worrying they are resisting me because of their own resentments. I see that all of these thoughts and feelings that stand in my way are like weeds…I hear God’s word and start to have a little faith in His care, but then the “worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth” choke it out and I become anxious, irritable and discontent – over and over again.

In another parable immediately following in the same Gospel, Jesus actually talks about weeding! Basically, He says the enemy sows these weeds but the landowner (God) decides not to pull the weeds for fear of uprooting the wheat growing alongside them. This tells me that I should be very careful when pulling out my weeds. If you’ve ever weeded a garden in frustration or impatiently, I’m sure you’ve probably pulled up a plant or two by accident. I’ve done this before and was upset that I actually lost some budding vegetables or fruit I didn’t want to lose. So in getting rid of negative thoughts, worries, negative behaviors or even negative people, I am also reminded to be gentle and loving – so as not to cause harm to myself or others. In another words, when I lay aside feelings of being overwhelmed in my work, I can’t do so and be slothful and just not work at all; when I try to forget my financial worries, I can’t do so and completely forget my financial responsibility to my household; when I try to stay in the day, that doesn’t mean I can’t make plans for the future; and when I try to let go of resentments I feel about others hurting me out of their own resentments, I need to be patient and not cut them off altogether but perhaps give them time and space.

Lord, I pray that you help me be more fruitful by helping me to gently get rid of any thorns or weeds choking my productivity and my spiritual growth.