At the end of the account of the parable of the sower, Jesus makes this comment: " Whoever has ears ought to hear". We are asked to pay attention to the parable. But what should we reflect on? the sower? the seed? On the different grounds? Traditionally, Christians have looked almost exclusively at the lands where the seed falls, to review our attitude in listening to the Gospel. Today, however, I draw attention to the sower and his way of sowing.
This is the first thing the story says: " The sower came out to sow." He does it with amazing confidence. Sow abundantly. The seed falls everywhere, even where it seems difficult for it to germinate. That is the way Jesus sows his message, he announces the Good News. He sows his Word among the simple people, who welcome him, and also among the scribes and Pharisees, who reject him. But he is not discouraged.
Today we live a religious crisis in our society, and we can think that the Gospel has lost its original strength on the man or woman of today. Certainly, now is not the time to "harvest", but to learn to sow without being discouraged. It is not the Gospel that has lost strength; it is we who are proclaiming it with a weak and hesitant faith. It is not Jesus who has lost power of attraction; it is us who alter him with our inconsistencies and contradictions. A person who is not convinced, enthusiastic, confident, in love, does not convince anyone. To evangelize, it is to make present, in the midst of society and in the hearts of people, the humanizing and saving power of Jesus. And this can't be done indifferently. What do we show? Indifference or convinced faith? Mediocrity or passion for a more human life?