The seeds were planted about this time last year. A decision was made; this year will be different. One by one, the seeds went into the ground: a new defensive coach, a revamped game plan on both offense and defense, the acquisition of new defensive starters, another draft of college players and a work ethic that was evident months before training camp. Seeds planted that produced a bountiful harvest: a team that was coming together in preseason workouts, early success in the exhibition season and then that first win, 3-0, 5-0, 8-0, before we knew it, those seeds produced a crop of 13-0. Yes, there were a few setbacks along the way, but the seeds were fertilized and cultivated and 13-3 led to victory #1 in the playoffs, then #2 and before we knew it; Super Bowl. And the crop was not harvested until the final result was world champions; Super Bowl victory for the New Orleans Saints.
Seeds planted are capable of producing good fruit; a bountiful harvest. The seeds we have planted in our lives have borne good fruit in our jobs, our careers, our family life, even our spiritual life.
As people of faith, are we aware of the seeds planted in our lives by God? Do we strive to grow from these seeds to become that bountiful harvest God wants each of us to be?
The seeds we hear about today in Luke’s Gospel come from what is called the Sermon on the Plain. We may be more familiar with the phrase Sermon on the Mount but that’s from St. Matthew’s Gospel. In Luke’s Gospel today we hear Jesus planting seeds: Blessed are you who are poor, Blessed are you who are hungry, Blessed are you who are weeping, Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude and hate you. These are the seeds Jesus is planting. These are the seeds that will produce a great harvest. Doesn’t sound like it does it?
Jesus gives us His promise in the Sermon on the Plain. The harvest will be: the kingdom of God, satisfaction, laughing, rejoicing, leaping for joy. Why? Because the final harvest is: a reward great in Heaven! He has promised it and He will deliver. For our part, we just need to cooperate and allow these seeds, planted deep within us to grow and prosper.
One of the seeds planted in us is the “poor in Spirit” seed. This has less to do with our particular financial position at any given time but more about our attitude concerning material things. Do we depend on material things too much; do we depend on man for our well being? Or, do we put our hope and trust in God; the One who plants the seed to begin with, who will always be the source of our well being.
The “weeping” seed is not that we be sad or depressed, even when we have reason to be so, it is to be aware of our true sorrow for sin. It is the seed that produces sympathy and empathy with others as opposed to anger and hate. It still may feel like grief, but it will be grief without a sense of condemnation.
The seed for meekness; when we are hated and insulted, that seed invites us to be slow with anger and rich in charity. It invites us to be truly counter-cultural. We need only to follow the example of Jesus to be meek.
That “hungry” seed has little to do with food or drink. This is hungering for righteousness, mercy and purity of heart.
These seeds, if allowed to grow and bear fruit, to produce a bountiful harvest; will be fully known to us when we arrive in Heaven. Through the grace of Jesus Christ and our cooperation with His grace we will see fully that perfect, bountiful harvest.
What seeds already planted deep within us do we need to nurture right now? Today is St. Valentine’s Day, and it is also World Marriage Day. If your vocation is the married state, that seed is to love and care and nurture your spouse. That seed is to be open to the family God wants you to have and love and nurture your children. And that seed is for each of our families to be the domestic church in our own homes.
In the days ahead, we will begin the penitential season of Lent. Wednesday is Ash Wednesday and beginning this Friday, we offer the devotion of the Stations of the Cross here in the Church. Is that seed planted in you calling you to greater devotion in the Lenten season upon us? Is that seed in need of daily Mass, attending the Stations, being open to more frequent confession and deeper personal reflection?
These are just a few opportunities God has placed before us right here, right now. Remember, the seed is planted and the grace of Christ nurtures the seed. It still needs our cooperation.
The seeds were planted last year. A decision was made. The seed was beginning to grow and bear fruit. Cooperation was needed. Each member of the team could help to produce a bountiful harvest or not. We now know the results. We are just one week removed from that Super Bowl victory of our New Orleans Saints; and we remember how oh so good this feels.
The victory waiting for us is so much more important. The victory is eternal happiness among that bountiful harvest.
The seed is planted; the seed is ready to grow.
A decision needs to be made; cooperation is required.
The victory is ours!
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