Homily on Matthew 13:1–9: Becoming Good Soil for God’s Word (23-7-25)

A heartfelt reflection on Matthew 13:1–9, showing how love, grace, and daily effort can turn our hearts into fertile soil for God’s Word.

Praise be to Jesus Christ 

 One day, Thomas Alva Edison came home with a sealed letter from his teacher and gave it to his mother.  With tears in her eyes, she read aloud: “Your son is a genius. This school is too small for him. Please teach him at home.” And so, she did. Years later, Edison, now one of the world’s greatest inventors, found that letter in a drawer. It had not said what his mother had read. It actually said, “Your son is mentally slow and unfit for school. We won’t allow him to return.” That day, Edison realised that it was not just his talent, but the love and faith of his mother that had planted the seed of greatness in him. She nurtured that seed, even when the world saw nothing in it.

This simple but powerful story reminds us of today’s Gospel: the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1–9). Jesus tells us about a man who went out to sow seeds. The seeds were the same, but they fell on different types of ground. Some were eaten by birds, some withered in the sun, and some were choked by thorns. But the seeds that fell on good soil brought forth fruit, some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred times more.

Among all the words in this Gospel, one line stands out quietly but powerfully. Jesus says, “He who has ears, let him hear.” It sounds simple, but there is something deep in that sentence. Hearing with our ears is easy, but hearing with our heart—that is hard. That is where the real change begins.

Why do some people hear the Word of God but never grow in it? Why do others grow a little but then fade? Let us look into this with a human heart.

Some people are like the roadside. The soil is hard. Seeds cannot enter. These people may be busy with good things, like the road that helps many people travel, but their hearts are not open. They listen to sermons, attend Mass, even read the Bible, but the Word just stays on the surface. It does not sink in.

Others are like rocky ground. They welcome the Word with joy. They feel touched by it for a moment. But when real life brings trouble or challenge, they give up. Their heart was not deep enough. No roots.

Then there are the hearts full of thorns. These people want to grow. But their lives are filled with too many distractions, worries about money, success, image, comfort. The Word of God has no space to breathe. It gets choked.

But then comes the good soil. It is open, soft, deep, and clean. It is ready to receive. It welcomes the Word and holds onto it. It gives the Word time to grow. And then, fruit comes. Not just a little, but plenty.

Being good soil is not about being perfect. It is about being willing: willing to let go of pride, willing to let God plough our hard hearts, willing to forgive, willing to change, willing to listen, not just with ears, but with life.

Let’s bring this home. Do I let the Word of God disturb my daily routine? Am I willing to change the words I use, the time I spend on my phone, the way I treat my family? Am I only hearing the Gospel on Sunday—or is it forming my choices on Monday?

Thomas Edison’s mother believed in him and watered the seed every day with patience and love. She didn’t give up. In the same way, God believes in each of us. He sows His Word in our hearts every day. But He will not force us to grow. He waits for us to be good soil.

The journey from rocky ground to fertile land is not easy. It needs effort, prayer, and trust. But take courage. As Saint John reminds us, “The One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

So today, let us not just hear the Word of God and move on. Let us let it sink in. Let us carry it to our kitchens, our workplaces, our bedrooms, and our marketplaces. Then, little by little, the seed will grow. And one day, fruit will come—fruit that will last.

 Jesus, Give me the Grace to practice what I listen