Memorial of Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest, and Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs
LUKE 8: 4-15
The Seed and the Soil of the Heart

Jesus speaks to us today in a parable that everyone in His time could understand. Perhaps He was looking at farmers scattering seed across the fields of Galilee. Some seed falls on the hardened path, some on rocky ground, some among thorns, and some on good soil. The difference is not in the seed, but in the ground. The Word of God is always fruitful, but its harvest depends on the heart that receives it.

The hard path is the closed heart. Prejudice, pride, or indifference can make us incapable of receiving God’s Word. The rocky ground is the shallow heart. It welcomes the Word with joy but lacks roots, collapsing when trials come. The thorny ground is the distracted heart. Even good things—work, success, comfort—can choke the Word, leaving no room for God. Finally, the good soil is the heart that listens, treasures the Word, and lives it in action.

But there is also encouragement here. Jesus himself was rejected in the synagogues, opposed by the scribes and Pharisees. The disciples could easily grow discouraged. So He reminds them: a farmer expects some seed to be lost, yet he keeps sowing, knowing that in time there will be a harvest. In the same way, no setback can defeat God’s plan.

This parable calls us to self-examination. What kind of soil is my heart today? Do I allow the Word to take root, or do I let worries and busyness crowd it out? At the same time, it is a call to hope. Even when we see little fruit, God is at work. The harvest is sure, because the seed is His Word and the soil belongs to His mercy.

Let us not despair. Let us keep sowing, keep listening, and keep trusting that God’s Word will bear fruit in us and in the world.

© Claretian Publications, Hong Kong, China
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025