The Growing Field

Gospel: Mark 4: 1-20

Throughout the scriptures the field has been an image of a person's soul or interior life.  Within each of us there are these various parts: shallow soil, rocky soil, thorns, and fertile ground.  God, the ever optimistic master gardener, spreads seed to all parts of our soul in the hopes that growth will occur in some part of us.  It is for us to discern in what part of our soul that growth is taking place, and in what parts we have these persistent struggles.  

Once we discover the area of growth within us, that is our talent, our gift to others that must be cultivated and made available in service to others.  As this area of the soul is cultivated, we will find over time that its growth will be like that of a garden.  With each season of growth our cultivated garden takes up more and more space in the garden, more and more space within our soul.  We will find the shallow and rocky soul turn to fertile fields.  The thorns have withered and died, making way for fruitful soil.  

So it is for us to pay attention each season when God scatters grace in our lives.  We take note of the areas where it quickly sprouted and died, areas that were choked off by thorns, and areas of great growth.  If we follow the patterns of growth God has marked out for us, we can cultivate a fruitful garden of loving service, a garden that will grow and nourish many by its fruit.