From seeds to Life

The image of the seed is resonant with the texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary.

Ready to receive the seed?

The First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians compares the seed we are now to our earthly body as he explains to the community about our resurrected body.

* [15:1–58] Some consider this chapter an earlier Pauline composition inserted into the present letter. The problem that Paul treats is clear to a degree: some of the Corinthians are denying the resurrection of the dead (1 Cor 15:12), apparently because of their inability to imagine how any kind of bodily existence could be possible after death (1 Cor 15:35). It is plausibly supposed that their attitude stems from Greek anthropology, which looks with contempt upon matter and would be content with the survival of the soul, and perhaps also from an overrealized eschatology of gnostic coloration, such as that reflected in 2 Tm 2:18, which considers the resurrection a purely spiritual experience already achieved in baptism and in the forgiveness of sins. Paul, on the other hand, will affirm both the essential corporeity of the resurrection and its futurity. His response moves through three steps: a recall of the basic kerygma about Jesus’ resurrection (1 Cor 15:1–11), an assertion of the logical inconsistencies involved in denial of the resurrection (1 Cor 15:12–34), and an attempt to perceive theologically what the properties of the resurrected body must be (1 Cor 15:35–58).

In the Gospel from Luke Jesus uses seed as a symbol for the Word of God as he explains the Parable of the Sower.

* [8:4–21] The focus in this section is on how one should hear the word of God and act on it. It includes the parable of the sower and its explanation (Lk 8:4–15), a collection of sayings on how one should act on the word that is heard (Lk 8:16–18), and the identification of the mother and brothers of Jesus as the ones who hear the word and act on it (Lk 8:19–21). See also notes on Mt 13:1–53 and Mk 4:1–34.

Tom Quinn comments that true spiritual nurturing and stability can only be attained by hearing, and acting, on God’s word.

Jesus did not often explain each line of his parable.  This time, however, he underlines some possibilities we may experience when we hear God speaking to us; these range from ignoring God’s words, and failing to live spiritually, to embracing his message completely, and thriving.   When reflecting on this, it seems that most of us have experienced our own rejection(s) of God. We are sometimes tempted by the “weeds” that we feel support us, only to discover that they are slowly destroying us

Don Schwager quotes “The Devil snatches good seed off the path”, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD) to draw attention to the hardness of our attitude when we are closed to the Word of God.

"The seed is the Word of God. Those on the way are they who have heard. Afterwards, the devil comes and takes away the Word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. We see in a moment that the hardness of the ground causes the seed on the pathways to be snatched away. A pathway always is hard and untilled, because it is exposed to every one's feet. It does not admit any seed into it, but it lies rather upon the surface, ready for any birds that will to snatch it away. All whose minds are hard and unyielding, and so to speak, pressed together, do not receive the divine seed. The divine and sacred admonition does not find an entrance into them. They do not accept the words that would produce in them the fear of God and by means of which they could bring forth as fruits the glories of virtue. They have made themselves a beaten and trampled pathway for unclean demons, yes, for Satan himself, such as never can bear holy fruit. Let those who are awake, whose heart is sterile and unfruitful, open your mind, receive the sacred seed, be like productive and well-tilled soil, bring forth to God the fruits that will raise you to an incorruptible life." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 41)

Transformation is the experience that we are called to by God. We prepare our soil by inviting the Holy Spirit to enlighten and open our mind.

References

(n.d.). 1 Cor 15:26. Retrieved September 22, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/1corinthians15.htm
(n.d.). Luke chapter 8 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved September 22, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/luke/8:10
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved September 22, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 22, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/