What was Jesus trying to communicate?
Each year after harvest, my dad used to insist on digging up the hard ground and making it ready for the right season for cultivation. When I asked him for an explanation he said, “The hard ground gets cracked during summer and moisture of the soil will be lost through those cracks. Besides, the ground is easier to dig before the sun makes it harder. Digging and softening can protect soil moisture. Secondly, after the first rain, the weeds in the soil will sprout up and so we can get rid of the weeds before the cultivation.” A well-prepared ground left without cultivation becomes a ground for the weeds to grow until good seeds are planted.
Each step we take to plant seeds of God’s goodness, His life-giving Word and healing love not only to help us to grow toward spiritual maturity, but also to keep the evil spirit from contaminating it again.
During this Eucharist today, the cleansing power of the Word of God, the healing power of the Holy Eucharist, and the sanctifying presence of the Holy Spirit will again prepare our hearts, and cleanse them from all evil: What do we want to fill them with?
