A Sower went out to sow
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
~+~
I think that this Gospel reading is self-explanatory and there is no need for further explanation. More so, it is very easy to understand. The issue as to why we cannot understand lies within ourselves, because we do not really want to understand it. Our desire, or want, is to please ourselves, or rather our passions, rather than knowing the truth and to save ourselves.
If we serve God, we will be amongst those of the last group of people indicated by Christ in the parable, in whom the seed, that is, the word, falls on good and clear ground and bears fruit. That means people with a pure heart, sincere, filled with love for God and for others, people who put themselves last.
Sadly, not all people are like that, this is illustrated by the parable of the Sower who sows the seed, which represents the word of God. Some fell by the wayside, others fell on rocky ground, others fell among thorns, and all did not bear fruit and were choked. These are those temptations that we encounter every day in our lives and with which we should fight, not surrender to them and let them suffocate us.
Our goal is not of this age. Our path is not temporary and short, but eternal and does not end with death, but continues in the kingdom of heaven which is endless and eternal. We should strive to fight against all temptations, continue to walk on the narrow path, and enter the eternal kingdom that is prepared for us.
For this reason, this coming Saturday (Memorial Saturday), we will commemorate the dead because we think, we believe, that they are not dead, but have passed to the other side, to the kingdom of heaven, to eternity, where our path continues. And therefore, everything we do should be done for that purpose, that is, to serve God in order to be united with God, who is immortal and eternal.
God shows us the way, that is, the key, the means by with which we will succeed on that path, and that is patience, which is always inseparably linked to humility. That is a sad situation, because we do not have patience and we want everything to happen overnight, that is why we do not bear fruit.
Patience is inevitably required in order to succeed in defeating temptations and overcoming passions. As bearers of the fallen human nature and heirs of the fallen human race, humanity in general and ourselves personally, we are very sinful and have fallen away from the full-of-grace communion with God. Because of this, now with patience and with pain we have to acquire what we have lost and what God has prepared for us.
Nowadays, we want to achieve everything at once, without hard work and effort, that is why we do not succeed, and we do not attain the goals. Without continuous, patient, ascetic hesychastic struggle, there is no cleansing of the heart (the soil in the parable), without which the seed cannot bear fruit. And let us not forget, without patience there is no salvation.
Father Gavril Galev
Abbot of the monastery “St. Clement of Ohrid”,
Kinglake, Melbourne, Australia
06 / 11 / 2022
