Wednesday of Week 16 in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 1:1,4-10 | Psalm 70:1-6,15,17 | Matthew 13:1-9
We’re all familiar with the Parable of the Sower that forms today’s Gospel, but I’d like to propose a different parable. It goes like this:
Imagine a wicked sower going out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell on the roadway and were swallowed up in the cracks. Others fell on rocky soil where they took shallow root, but as soon as the sun beat down on them they were scorched and disappeared into dust. Still others fell on rich soil and multiplied furiously like the darnel that they truly were, choking out the wheat desperately trying to grow alongside.
What the wicked sower is sowing is negativity. Those forming the roadway are the stalwart Catholics who support others journeying in Christ and nip harsh personal judgements in the bud. Those receiving the seed on rocky soil would like not to believe these poisonous words but spread them tentatively anyway, and when the truth emerges, they furiously backpedal and delete their relevant social media postings. Those receiving the seed on rich soil revel in gossip, play personal favorites, and generally undermine the smooth functioning of their parish through poison pen letters to the local bishop and encouraging negative commentary on their parish priests.
✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞
If you suspected that today’s blog entry was inspired by our local archbishop’s recent public letter about a leaked ecclesial reshuffling list, you’d be right. It’s really an addendum to another entry from last week, when I was convinced I knew what would be going down.
I’ve had the privilege of serving with at least two dozen priests and deacons in almost three decades at my parish. Every single one of them had at least one quirk that ranged from mildly annoying to really quite aggravating, and I’ve been foolish enough to share some of them with folks over the years, forgetting that humanity = fallibility.
Well, not any more. Unless said quirk actually has major implications for my parish, it’ll stay between me and God. Even if it’s a deal-breaker of a fault, I’d still try my best to resolve it directly with the clergy of concern, rather than resorting to the bully pulpits of social media and petty gossip. I’d also see if I could “soften the blow” to the congregation as part of my ministerial responsibilities, so that the faithful who come to worship every Sunday aren’t too adversely affected.
After all, negativity only breeds more negativity, “each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34), and as St. Paul reminds us, “God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)
Amen.