In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
The Apostle Paul, elsewhere from today’s Epistle reading, often uses the prefix “co-,” in Greek “συν-.” We are to be co-crucified with Christ and co-die with him, through our baptism, that we may co-rise with him and co-reign with him in his glory. In as much as we are joined to him we are joined to his activities and by participating in his activities we participate in the Kingdom.
The Lord today spoke in a parable. But not only did he give a parable, he gave the reason for parables. He told his disciples—which is to say, he told you and he told me,
To you it has been given to know the secrets of the Kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.
And on this St Theophylact of Ochrid says,
The Lord speaks in parables for many reasons: to make his listeners more attentive and to stir up their minds to seek the meaning of what is said. For we are apt to be curious about sayings that are obscure in meaning and to disregard sayings that are clear. He also speaks in parables so that those who are unworthy may not understand what is said concerning spiritual mysteries.
And so Christ himself gives the meaning of this parable, “The seed is the word of God,” and he gives the meaning of the seed which falls on the path, the rock, the thorns and the good soil. And I respond, “yes, I am the good soil,” since I “[hear] the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart.” But this is not the totality of what the Lord said, since he goes on to describe the good soil as “[bringing] forth fruit with patience.” Since it is not enough merely to receive the Word of God, we must bring forth fruit as well: in other words, to use the prefix beloved of the Apostle, we must co-sow the Word of God.
You and I, together, are called to spread the Word over this field—for those of us who are called to preach, to preach without fear the Gospel of the Kingdom; for those of us who are called to teach, to teach without fear our Life in Christ; for those who are called to give, to give without fear according to the generosity we have received from the Lord; for those of us who are called to serve, to serve without fear the downtrodden as serving Christ himself; for those of us who are called to pray, to pray without fear that peace and mercy rain down upon these lands. And each of us, you and I together, fall into each of these categories according to our strengths.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, for us to be worthy of the name Christian we are to be co-workers with Christ that we may be co-inheritors with him, joining his work to bring the Gospel of the Kingdom to our world. Let us pray for this, work for this, that we may be Sowers of the Gospel—of Christ’s defeat of idolatry, sin and death—that all the more may be brought to Life in him.
To our crucified, risen and glorified God and Saviour Jesus Christ be all dominion, power and worship, together with his unoriginate Father and the All-holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit. Amen.
Titus, my son, the saying is sure. I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are excellent and profitable to men. But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels over the law, for they are unprofitable and futile. As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned. When I send Artemas or Tychicos to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. And let our people learn to apply themselves to good deeds, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not to be unfruitful. All who are with me send greeting to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.
— Titus 3:8:15
The Lord said this parable: “A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold.” And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.” As he said these things, he cried out “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
— Luke 8:5–15