grounds-work
"The seed on good ground are those who hear the word in a spirit of openness, retain it, and bear fruit through perseverance." —Luke 8:15
As we try to apply the parable of the sower and the seed, we come to realize that the parable is not so much about seed but about types of ground, that is, about our receptivity to God's word. We then may ask ourselves: "What kind of ground am I?" The answer is usually: "All grounds." Many of us ignore some of the seed of divine revelation, give lip service to some of the Lord's revelations, and yet bear fruit by taking some aspects of God's word to heart. For example, a person may be praying and loving his neighbor while at the same time sinning by impurity and ignoring the social justice teaching of the Church. Such a person is bearing fruit in prayer and service but barren in his rejection of the seed of God's word on purity, justice, and peace.
As we grow in holiness, the Lord will take a pick and shovel to our lives so that we will not continue as many types of ground but only good, fruitful ground. Over time, our grounds become increasingly good or increasingly bad. We receive God's word more and more or less and less (see Lk 8:18). Each of us is in the process of becoming one kind of ground. Which ground will you be?
Prayer: Father, break the hardness of my heart.
Promise: "Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful song." —Ps 100:2
Praise: "He is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords Who alone has immortality and Who dwells in unapproachable light, Whom no human being has ever seen or can see. To Him be honor and everlasting rule! Amen" (1 Tm 6:15-16).
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Ralph J. Lawrence, February 13, 2001
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 20, 2001