The Power of the Seed
- davidwperk
- Jan 22
- 7 min read
Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, January 22, 2025
The week of the second Sunday after Epiphany
The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.
Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading:
4:1Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. 6And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. 7Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’ 9And he said, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’
You will find the full text of this Gospel reading at the end of this reflection.
Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 944):
AM Psalm 38; PM Psalm 119:25-48
Isa. 44:24-45:7; Eph. 5:1-14; Mark 4:1-20
Today we celebrate the Feast of Vincent. (See below.)
David's Reflections
The field across the road from my former residence on US Hwy 301 in Hanover County VA stood green with wheat each spring. My walks down the lane and along the fields reminded me of this parable. Those tiny wheat seed must have been packed with power to yield such a growing crop. Each head of wheat had so many more pods than the one seed that had sprouted. I would cut a few stalks with a pocket knife and put them in water on my dining room table, thinking of this parable and the power of the seed to multiply itself.
That's the message of this parable. The "word" gets sown in the hearts of people. Jesus' preaching and teaching was the "word." He was the sower. He embodied God’s kingly reign in his being, his words, his actions. Look what has grown from the life of one sower--the Twelve, the earliest church, the worldwide spread of Christianity--all from one sower and two to three years of sowing in Palestine. What a sower and what a seed!
Of course Jesus met resistance. The religious leaders opposed him. Of course everyone did not believe. Judas betrayed him. Others did not follow him. Of course those who did follow him were not all they should have been. Most denied him and fled when he was arrested. The earliest church after the resurrection struggled with its cultural baggage and with the admission of Gentiles.
We cannot expect that the powers of darkness will make it easy for us. The more committed we are to sharing the message of Christ, the more formidable the opposition will be. Yet, the message of this parable has to do with focusing on the living, immeasurable power of the Christian message to generate a response in those who hear. Jesus was saying to his followers, "Don't focus on the losses." Some of the soil will not yield, but most of it will. No sane farmer would sow on ground where only 25 percent would yield a fruitful harvest.
The hope and faith of this parable must be part of our perspective as a faith community. We are sharing the "word," the message of salvation with those who have no faith and with those whose faith has grown weak. Can we expect a harvest? Of course! The life-giving power of the message of God's love will generate a response. It is up to you and me to share, to invite, to love, to pray, to imagine, and to trust. Some will not hear. Some will hear, move toward us, and move away. If we focus on those losses, we may well overlook the transformative, positive responses others are making.
The seed and the soil are meant for each other. The saving word of the good news of Jesus Christ and the human heart are meant for each other. Jesus would have us expect incredible, unbelievable levels of response to the sowing of seed through our witness and service. As Thoreau put it "Though I do not believe that a plant will spring up where no seed has been, I have great faith in a seed. Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders." *
*Henry David Thoreau, cited in Linda Leonard, The Call to Create: Celebrating Acts of Imagination (New York: Random House, 1990), p 37.
Collect of the Day, Second Sunday after the Epiphany
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 215)
Today we celebrate the Feast of Vincent of Saragossa, deacon and martyr (died ca 304 CE).
Collect of the Feast of Vincent of Saragossa
Almighty God, whose deacon Vincent, upheld by you, was not terrified by threats nor overcome by torments: Strengthen us to endure all adversity with invincible and steadfast faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Collect for Protection
O God, the life of all who live, the light of the faithful, the strength of those who labor, and the repose of the dead: We thank you for the blessings of the day that is past, and humbly ask for your protection through the coming night. Bring us in safety to the morning hours; through him who died and rose again for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. (BCP, 124)
For the Election of a Bishop or other Minister
Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this Diocese (or, rector for this parish), that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your
people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 818)
A Prayer for Light
O Lord God Almighty, as you have taught us to call the evening, the morning, and the noonday one day; and have made the sun to know its going down: Dispel the darkness of our hearts, that by your brightness we may know you to be the true God and eternal light, living and reigning for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 110)
A Collect for Mission
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen. (BCP, 101)
Daily Office Gospel, Mark 4:1-20
4:1Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. 6And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. 7Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’ 9And he said, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’
10 When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11And he said to them, ‘To you has been given
the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; 12in order that
“they may indeed look, but not perceive,
and may indeed listen, but not understand;
so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.”’
13 And he said to them, ‘Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? 14The sower sows the word. 15These are
the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. 17But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, 19but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing. 20And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’
Daily Offices in the Book of Common Prayer
Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, The Book of Common Prayer
Noonday Prayer, page 103, Book of Common Prayer
Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p 109, Book of Common Prayer
Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer
Compline (Night Prayer), page 127, Book of Common Prayer
Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer
Comments