Mt.13: 1-23
So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it (Is.55:11)
The transformation that the Word of God makes in our life is beyond our comprehension. The life journey of Edith Stein underlines this fact. Stein was born in a traditional Jewish family and grew up in a pious Jewish religious ambiance. No matter how her intellectual mind was not ready to accept the invincible reality of God. Stein, who turned out as an atheist pursued her philosophical studies and at a young age achieved heights in her academic career that any woman of that period could dream of. Once, she happened to read the autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila. The divine and the human experience of Teresa touched her deeply and she recognized the truth that she had been searching from her childhood. She recognized that truth in Jesus Christ and her journey of conversion into the person of Christ began. In 1922 she received the sacrament of baptism and expressed her intense desire to become a Carmelite. Anyhow she could not make it immediately because of her strong Jewish background. Later on, she entered Carmelites as Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. Though a late-born, she could comprehend the doctrines of Christianity deeply, especially the mystery of the cross. She stood firmly against the Jewish holocausts by Hitler. Finally, she had to sacrifice her life in the Auschwitz, Nazi concentration camp even though she had the opportunity to save her life. She remained with her people and allowed the truth that she found out to bear a hundredfold by surrendering her destiny to the hands of God.
Today’s gospel passage presents to us the parable of the sower. it presents to us an analysis of how the Word of God, receives and works in each person’s life. The seeds fell on different premises such as the path, the rocky ground, amidst the thorny bushes, and finally on the good soil. We know that Jesus himself is the sower mentioned in the parable. The seeds are His giving words, the Good News that he brought from His father. The Divine Word has its potential to be active in all the circumstances. However, its productivity depends on favorable dispositions provided by each individual. Why do people remain stagnant in their spiritual journey? It is because they are not providing sufficient nourishment for the Word of God to grow in them and helping them to be fruitful. All of us may not be having the disposition of good soil to produce a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Our disposition can be similar to that of a roadside or rocky ground, or thorny bush. However, we can transform ourselves into good soil. This takes place when there is a mutual collaboration between the divine and our effort. When we embrace the path of daily conversion we are transforming our inner self as good soil.
The life story of each saint leads us to this awareness. How do they achieve such a realm of sanctity? because they collaborated with the grace of God working in them and created a disposition for the Word of God to take flesh in them. Like Edith Stein and all the other saints, Let us surrender ourselves to the life-giving words of Jesus; let us provide the nourishment that helps the Word of God to take flesh in us. So that we may be transformed as life-giving gospels, producing abundant fruits.