Lectionary # 448. Scripture reflection for Sept. 20.

Scripture: 24th Saturday in Ordinary time. I Cor. 15:35-37.42-49. Psalm
56:10-12.13-14. Luke 8:4-15. Lectionary # 448

Both Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians and Jesus in the Gospel
of Luke are using the image of the seed in order to illustrate their
teaching to the people. Paul is not as versed in farming and rural life as
Jesus who came from Nazareth. Paul, a citizen of three cultures, (an
Israelite, a Roman citizen, a Hellenist of quality) whereas Jesus is
totally Jewish! Jesus learned much about simple life and farming and
parables from his mother Mary and her extended relatives, called her
family. Paul has been reflecting with his audience on the Resurrection
whereas Jesus is now teaching the crowds through parables, hoping they
catch the message and live it out.
Paul's use of the seed to explain the Resurrection is a difficult
approach, but for his listeners this may have been right on target. As he
develops his thoughts which take us back to the first three chapters of
Genesis, he crosses over to Adam/Eve the earthlings who have been created
equally in the image and likeness of God. The first humans were living
souls according to Paul, but it is the new or last Adam (Christ risen from
the dead) who is a life-giving spirit. Paul then gives us all a message of
hope: "Just as we resemble the humans taken from the earth ('adamah) so
shall we bear the likeness of Jesus the risen one from heaven.
Jesus illustrates through an extended parable the sowing of the seed
on four different soils. He is not speaking about the resurrection but more
about our growth into mature spiritual and wholesome humans. The various
soils are obstacles to our growth into his image as the Risen One but the
last soil, possibly, our final resolution to live devout lives, results in
a fruitful harvest. The parable then is developed by Luke into an
allegory just as Matthew has done. Both probably drew on the same oral
tradition of this parable. By our working through and avoiding the
obstacles of sin and temptation we too produce the fruit of virtues and the
beatitudes. Our growth is like the seed falling on good soil which grows
and develops into the life of Jesus within us. Thus Jesus speaks about the
experiences of life lived out in stages and a series of developments while
Paul is speaking of the end result of life with Christ --the Resurrection.
Jesus is the first of the fruits of resurrection; we follow. Amen.