the presence of good and bad soil in all of us - 15th Sunday A 2014

You cannot simply divide the community and say the people here are good soil, the people over there are hardened soil, then the people over here are rocky soil.  If we examine ourselves more closely, we can probably find evidence of several kinds of soil in our own lives.  Each of us have several types of soil that respond differently to the seed, to the word, of God, to the good nga ginasab-og. 

In all probability there is the presence of good soil in each of us.  When seeds fall on it, they are nourished and they grow well until they bear fruit in our lives to benefit our community.  It is good to acknowledge that side in us that receives the word and translates this into action bearing fruit in time. It is good to acknowledge the presence of fertile ground that makes us respond to the good.

 But we have also to acknowledge that there is also a part in each one of us, or even parts in us that are hardened because of years of being walked upon.  So whatever good or whatever seeds fall on it, these are immediately taken away by the birds or by the evil one.  Naga-umpok, indi na madutlan, bisan anano mo pa katudlo, bisan anano mo pa kaliwat-liwat kay nagtig-a na.  That part too has to be acknowledged and identified.

There is also that side in us that is rocky, too little soil so much so that whatever grows in it is immediately scorched dead by the heat of sun for it cannot grow deep roots – dasig magtubo, dasig man mapatay kay man wala gamut.  Promising sia sa primero, it started well, daw masadya pa, pero sang ginpresentaran na ini sang mga kabudlayan nagpang-alang-alang na, nagsulod na ang damo nga rason, may mga damo na nga mga pamalibad.

There is also in many of us a side, a part that is thorny, damo tunok that chokes into oblivion whatever seed falls and grows in it.  What is it that chokes good growth, what is it that strangles and blocks a promising beginning?  Probably shame, other brighter opportunities, lack of encouragement, lack of resolve, probably some hesitancy brought about by our fears?  This part has also to be acknowledged.

It might be good to look into the different soils in our life and how it affects our formation, how it affects our work and responsibilities, how it affects our resolve even.  Then probably in acknowledging the kind of soil that we have into which the seeds fall, then we can explain why we find ourselves less persevering in our resolve for example to study, why we procrastinate, why we postpone spiritual direction, why we cannot do our responsibilities as council as DOV or as sentinels or even as formators, ngaa nagakaguot kita nga sa iban daw ka dasig man lang.  Ang seed amo man ina sa gihapon halin sang una, ang deperesnya nagadepende kon ano ang natup-an nya.