Glorious Sowing, Deceitful Riches
Live Audio Version
4th Sun of Luke Oct.15, 2023, Luke 8: 5-15; 2 Cor. 9:6-11
Today’s gospel lesson starts with, “A sower went out to sow his seed.” We then hear how the sower of seeds generously and with great abandon took every opportunity to indiscriminately sow, in places where he might expect a return and in places that appeared to hold little promise. St. Paul tells us in (2nd Cor. 9:6,7,11) But this I say: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver… Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness.” The sower wasn’t overthinking whether scattering his seed everywhere would bear fruit, no, he was just freely flinging his precious seed wherever he went. He had no worry that he would run out of seed. The more he threw out, the more it multiplied and filled up his seed reservoir. This is the very picture of abundance!
Who can count the trees in the forest or the wildflowers in a meadow? Every Litya at Vespers we remember the 5 loaves and 2 fish that feed the crowd of 5000 men plus women and children. (Luke 9 11-17). Remember, they then gathered up 12 baskets of leftover fragments – one for each apostle to contemplate. God’s “seed” – His love, is expressed in His communion, in the gift of the Holy Spirit, in His material and spiritual creation… There is no danger of having it run out or come to an end. It is everywhere present and filling all things. We can’t even begin to contemplate the unfathomable and unlimited abundance of God. In the words of Christ, (John 10:10). “I came that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.” The only way to limit it is to try to horde it. To try to save it for ourselves, for our future needs.
All of us without distinction have His grace raining constantly upon us. His grace is pouring out and multiplying all around us! It’s a virtual blizzard! Do we huddle up in our rain protection gear, or open our arms and hearts and let ourselves get soaked in His love? Do we grumble about our lives, our latest circumstances, or give thanks, knowing that (Rom. 8:28) “…all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose”?
As we battle our fears and step out in generosity, actively choosing to give, to love our enemies, to give thanks in all things – even for that which we don’t like or understand, we are developing our true nature as children of God. Our faith and trust and very life in Him grows. As we are transformed into His sons and daughters, we become Sowers of His precious seed.
-In today’s gospel, Christ describes 4 types of “soil” describing the receptivity of our hearts to the life-giving presence of God’s love. As we are receptive enough to at least be here today, choosing to worship and place ourselves as best we can in God’s presence, we may perhaps dismiss the effects of the 1st where immediately the birds (the demons) devoured the seed.
-There is always a danger that as in the 2nd situation, having begun well and choosing to follow Christ, we may encounter persecution or tribulations/problems, taking offence to something or someone we encounter along the Way. Then our initial joy may turn to bitterness or prideful criticism, and we may fall away. But again, as we have chosen to follow Christ faithfully in the parish community of St. Aidan, we can probably move on to considering the 3rd type of soil.
-The 3rd type of soil is essentially the same as the wonderful productive 4th type, which yielded a hundredfold harvest. Good rich productive soil that can grow a great crop of either weeds or nutritious food. Anyone who has done any gardening can tell you who wins if we simply plant seeds in amongst the weeds and then ignore the garden until harvest time. Enjoy your thistle tea!
Today in Luke we hear that the weeds and thorns Christ is describing in the 3rd. soil type, those weeds that cut off and rob the sunlight and nutrition from the good seeds sown by God are, “the cares, riches, and pleasure of life.” In Matthew’s reading of this parable it is the (Matt. 13:1-30) “deceitfulness of riches” and in (Mark 4:1-20) it is the “cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things” these are the things that choke out the fruitful seed of God and are a great danger and distraction in our prosperous and opportunity filled society.
The main concern we need to take home from this gospel, which is included in all 3 synoptic gospels, so we don’t miss its fundamental importance, is to make sure we do our weeding, and especially get rid of the pernicious thorn known as the “deceitfulness of riches.” The other weeds mentioned, the “cares of this world, seeking after the pleasures of life, and fueling our desires for other things” are only fed by making the pursuit of riches our primary goal.
There are no shortage of gospel lessons dedicated to this fundamental teaching, because we have such a difficult time believing it could actually apply to us. After all most of us faithfully tithe our first 10% to God. Doesn’t that make the other 90% ours. But tithing was an old testament requirement. The new testament gives us a much great standard. All is God’s, we only manage it for Him. We have the rich man (Luke 22:20) who was so blessed he planned to build bigger storage barns to accommodate all the wealth God had blessed him with. God’s response: “You fool for this night your soul is required of you; then whose will these things be which you have provided?” If he had only understood, and acted on this understanding, that he was only wealthy through God’s blessing, that all belongs to God, and the purpose of wealth is for us to manage it and pass it on, to support the Church and the poor. Wise, not Fool would be his legacy.
We have the rich man who didn’t even give Lazarus – the beggar at his gate – the crumbs falling from his laden table. We have the rich young ruler keeping all the commandments but whom Christ tries to free from his enslavement to money. They could have chosen to “lay up treasure in heaven…” The wealth given away would have accrued to their eternal benefit rather than accusing them of greed and selfishness. We have the blessed example of Zacchaeus who demonstrated to Christ his true repentance with actions, saying, “I give half of my goods to the poor and restore anything taken falsely fourfold.” Christ rejoices that Zacchaeus chooses life, freeing himself from the sin of avarice. Jesus says, “Today salvation has come into this house.”
I could essentially give a similar homily every time one of these gospel reading is given to us. Why so many lessons from Christ on the same lesson? Simply because we need to hear and act. Giving, beyond our comfort zone is how we worship and give thanks unto God. This is how we learn to truly trust God. This is where the tire hits the road, not in pious words and elevated feelings but in love and thankfulness demonstrated in the three action areas. Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. When I confessions, I often hear, “I’m not praying or fasting enough.” But I seldom hear anyone confess, “I’m not giving as God would have me give.” Let us consider this for His glory and for our salvation. Take to heart today’s Epistle to “give generously and not as a grudging obligation” and experience for yourself that “he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully,” spiritually, emotionally, and materially. May you be blessed! Glory to Jesus Christ!