Week 15

 

 

The Australian Church is presently in the midst of Days in the Diocese, leading up to World Youth Day which culminates with the final Mass with Pope Benedict next Sunday morning.

 

The presence of overseas students in our homes and our churches this weekend reminds us that our parish and diocese are part of something much bigger than ourselves.

 

Among the many pilgrims, several young Timorese are gracing the homes of parishioners and religious communities in my parish. These young people have spent almost a year preparing for these two weeks and are committed to contribute actively to parish life on their return to Timor

 

They bring a deep faith and trust in God, partly born of suffering and deprivation of the resources that we tend to take for granted. They are being exposed to a standard of living almost beyond their imagining. They are also encountering the goodness in the hearts of young Catholic Australians and the generosity of their families.

 

Expectations of WYD vary.

 

Some are sceptical about such events. What difference do they make in the life of the Church? How will we judge its success or otherwise?

 

Jesus' parable of the sower, seed, and soil reminds us that the grace of God's word is there for everyone who is open to receive it.

 

If the seed takes root in rich soil, the harvest is assured. If it misses the mark and falls on the path, the benefit is only for the birds. If the soil is rocky, the growth is premature and short-lived and the harvest is very limited. If the seed falls among thorns, it is choked-so once again, no harvest.

 

The readiness of the soil is all important, though the extraordinary extent of the yield is the measure of God's abundant grace.

 

This parable reflects Jesus' closeness to the earth and his familiarity with the lives of ordinary people.

 

While scattering of seed before ploughing seems a rather wasteful method of sowing a crop, such a practice is attested in the ancient world. Is the sower an extraordinarily generous God or an exploitative and wasteful estate owner?

 

A parable teases its hearers and invites them to ponder its many levels of meaning. We have to bring our own life experience into dialogue with the word of the parable and search out its meaning for us.

 

In the context of WYD, the parable of the sower may yield its wisdom more slowly than we wish because young people tend to grow up at different rates and their faith develops in myriad ways that only God as harvester truly comprehends. Let's pray for an abundant harvest from WYD.