That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.”

Matthew 13:1 – 4

Here we are, on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, along with many people who are becoming aware of who their native son is, Jesus, Son of Joseph and Mary, of Nazareth.  He astounds them by his healing power and then speaks to them about the Good News of the Kingdom of God that he came to establish.

It resembles sowing precious seeds, a common scene in Palestine.  A farmer goes out to spread his precious seed, his hope for a harvest.  Some of the seed fell on hard places, unreceptive places, where birds, abundant in such scenes, ate the seeds at once.  To me, who knows little of farming, I see this as wasting seed.

Jesus who is telling the story did not fault the sower who just dropped some seed on hard ground.  I do. Why not make sure, I find myself thinking, that none of your precious seed lands on the hard path?  The problem lies with the farmer, I conclude.  Jesus felt for the farmer.

The story makes clear that some precious seeds fell on hard ground.  I assume that means that some of the precious seeds fell on hard hearts!  The problem was not with the seed, it was with the hard soil, the hard heart, so to speak.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone.  Christ died for all.  Christ is compassionate and loving.  No one is left out.  The fact that the ground does not welcome it does not mean that God will stop dropping seed there.

That is one kind of soil.  Others follow.  See you then.