There are times when our efforts to do something valuable do not appear to be enough for other people. The parable of the sower in today's Gospel reflects that kind of reality. Much of the seed that the sower scattered produced nothing. Some were taken by the birds of the air, choked by thorns, scorched by the sun. Yet, some of what he sowed had an excellent harvest. Despite many frustrations and failures, there was a great crop at the end of the day. To me, it seems that the Lord is saying that his efforts, words, and deeds would bear fruit despite many setbacks in life, the misunderstanding of some, and rejection of the Truth.

Living in the seminary is an opportunity for us to journey and help each other to configure our life to Christ. But given that we have different personalities, we cannot deny that sometimes there are misunderstandings and conflicts in dealing with others.

Today's Gospel is a word of encouragement to me who might be tempted to lose faith in Him. Likewise, the parable is a word of encouragement to share in the Lord's work and mission. Jesus assures me that that the crop will be good despite setbacks and failures if the seed is good. I have a good seed – the good seed of the Gospel. I can be confident that in scattering that seed, the Lord will work powerfully through me in witnessing to that Gospel.

By: Sem. Glicerio T. Tano

Today's Gospel

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."