Pay Attention To The Words of Jesus

The placement of this passage is interesting. It comes shortly after the parable of the sower and the seed and the explanation of the parable given to the disciples. It also follows the statement concerning the placing a lamp on a lamp stand so that the light will illuminate its surroundings. The meaning of the passage can be taken in many ways; some see it in light of what we own as in the saying, “The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.” However, I believe that Jesus is speaking in matters of faith and belief in the Gospel. The more we pay attention to the words and works of Jesus, the more we “hear” the more our faith grows. If we don’t pay attention, then the little we have will diminish. We are the soil for the seed of faith. In Mark’s Gospel, the seeds of faith that fall on good soil produce fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times. In Matthew and Luke’s Gospels, it starts with one hundred times and then sixty and then thirty times. Theologians believe that because Mark wrote his Gospel first, Christianity was growing quickly, but since Matthew and Luke were writing during and after the time of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and the beginnings of the persecution of Christians, the rate of conversion had slowed. The important thing for us to remember is that in order for our faith to grow, we need to pay attention to the words of Jesus. We need to listen, but more importantly we really need to hear what he is trying to tell us. If we do, than we will never lose what we have, more and more will be measured out to us.

Jesus, you told your disciples and us the meaning of the parable of the sower and the seed. May we prepare our soil well; heed your words, and allow our faith to grow and mature so that the fruits of our faith may multiply. Amen.