Taking Root and Growing - The 2nd Step of Knowing

Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear,

receive the word with joy, but they have no root;

they believe only for a time and fall away in time of temptation.

The parable of the sower and the seed is a familiar story to most Christians. The sower goes out and sows the seeds and they land in different places. Some land on the path where there is no soil and the birds come and eat the seeds. Some fall on the rocky ground and they sprout up but have no roots and they die. Some of the seeds fall among thorns and are choked out. Finally, some seed falls on good earth and it provides a good yield. 

I would tell the owner of this farm to sow his seeds more carefully but since the seed represents the truth of the Gospel, it is to be sown near and wide to everyone.  The soil it lands in is how we receive and take the word to heart. Today, we are going to concern ourselves with the seed that landed on the rocky ground.  Jesus says that this seed represents people who joyfully receive the Good News but believe it only for a short time and they fall away. What on earth could cause this?  Surely, the Gospel is news of great joy and paying attention to it will help bring the hearer of it to a joyful union with God in heaven, who would want to lose that?

We Catholics are probably the Christian people most at risk for becoming the seed in the rocky soil.   Many of us have not taken the time to learn more about our faith since we were confirmed.  Our Protestant brothers and sisters tend to be more deeply rooted in the Word of God and are not afraid to let people know that they are Christians, that they love God and Jesus.  Now they have their problems too.  They also tend to believe in the very dangerous doctrine "once saved, always saved" where once you have accepted Christ as your personal God and Savior, you are absolutely and positively going to heaven no matter what sins you commit during your lifetime.   We know, based on Scripture that knowing the Word is not the same as living the Word.  We have to live the Word for it to be effective in our lives.  

The one problem about not being rooted deeply in your beliefs comes at the time when turmoil strikes your life. A person with only a smile and a nod to the teachings of Jesus will look at his or her situation and decide that this Jesus stuff can be favorably compared to the pile of horse exhaust on the horse barn floor.  They will then go off on their own and after forgetting the teachings of Jesus, really make a mess of things.  Those of us who are deeply rooted in Christ will know that the troubles of this world are but temporary and we will know where to turn and the experience will actually make us stronger in Christ. 

How can you stay off of the rocky path?  It is simple. Develop a hunger for truth.  Study the Catholic faith, read the doctors of the Church.  If that is too theological for you, there are dozens of good Catholic books put out by authors grounded solidly in the faith who write in simple and easy to understand ways.  If you don't like to read, buy a Kindle, it will read books to you!  Make it a point to learn one new fact about your Catholic faith each month and soon you will be a brilliant scholar that can help your spouse, children, friends, and family to a better life with more happiness and fulfillment in it than ever before.  I guess the secret is to challenge yourself to be better.  This will help you to grow and growing is always better than withering and dying.  

Matthew Kelly, a wonderful Catholic Christian writer, and speaker says it best.  If you are called home to God after 60, 70, 80 or more years on earth, how are you going to explain to God that you did not have time to read His Book?   

Leave the rocky ground beginning today and transplant yourself and bear lots of fruit!  

Pray for the poor souls in Purgatory. They live with great joy and great hope because they will soon be with God. They cannot help themselves, they depend on us.  A simple Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be said for them takes so little of our time but beans so much for the,.  Won't you pray for them now?  Someone you know might be one prayer away from being freed. Do it now.