Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish

FR MICHAEL BOAKYE YEBOAH

CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF KUMASI, GHANA.

THE REQUIRED EFFECTS

Farming is one of the noblest of jobs on the planet. Our survival and sustenance depend on the great works of our hard-working farmers all over the world. Most farmers go through a lot to provide food for families, thousands of miles away from their farms. When we talk of other-centeredness, a farmer is a perfect example. They feed millions of people that they have never met nor will ever meet, and yet they do their jobs with great joy and contentment. Another amazing aspect of the farming profession are the sacrifices farmers make in their line of work. For some of these farmers, they embrace “alienation” as part of their work. Alienation in economic terms means the primary producer of a product has been cut off from the final outcome of his/her handiwork. The theory was first introduced by Karl Marx. For example, a cocoa farmer in Africa may not be involved with producing the end product of chocolate from his cocoa beans; therefore, the final product is alienated from him. Others make millions of dollars from his handiwork and yet it does not discourage him to go to the farm the next day to work.

The work of farmers captured the attention of some biblical writers and preachers in the days of prophet Isaiah and Jesus. When Isaiah wanted to convey the required effects of the word of God, the prophet saw it fit to use imagery associated with farming. Farmers wait for rain for months before they start planting their seeds because they know that the seeds require rain. Isaiah was very aware of this agricultural technique and procedure so he used this analogy to convey his message to the people that by hearing God’s word, the required effect will take place in their lives.

The people were very indifferent to Isaiah sharing God’s word. Isaiah told them that their lack of cooperation cannot deactivate the strength of God’s word just as the inactiveness of a farmer would not stop the rain from falling and have an effect on the earth. God works with human beings when they bend their hearts to the will of God, but, even if they don’t, it will not stop God from acting.

The rain will come to the farmer’s land every year, but it is up to the farmer to make good use of the rains. Jesus used that imagery very well in today’s gospel passage. We can recall St. Augustine’s famous quote to reflect on today’s gospel passage. St. Augustine said: “God created us without us and he cannot save us with us.” God will not force himself on us. He needs our cooperation as the farmer will need to make good use of the rains if he wants to reap a good harvest. Where do you belong in the following examples?

Don’t expose your life to the agents of the devil, because even with the seed of God’s word sown in you, an agent of the devil will pick it and neutralize it and stop it from germinating and growing. The destroyers of these seeds can be very close to us and so we should not look far away. The destroyers of the seed of God’s word can be close friends and even family. Since we need the rains of God’s grace in our lives so that the seed of God’s word will germinate and grow in us, we need to be watchful of those we associate ourselves with. Some people come into our lives to destroy the seed of God that has been sown in us. For some of us, our parents nurtured us in Christian ways only for us to lose our good upbringing through peer pressure or a wrong partner we chose to marry. Please chose your paths in life well because there are some “birds” who are ready to “eat-up” the good seeds sown in us.

There are other people who find their seeds destroyed because of some troubles in life. Good seeds were sown in them but as Jesus rightly said: “The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit.” At times, when some people lose their Christian way of life they cannot be faulted because some battles in life may be too much for some of us. But they will be blessed if they find themselves among the seeds that fall on good soil. Jesus said “…the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understand it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

I always believe that it takes one good seed to be sown well that will germinate, grow, and produce fruits for others to benefit. It is under the lives of some good people we have met and heard of that we find shelter and shade. In this modern era, we always remember the fruitful lives of saints like Mother Teresa and John Paul II. We continue to find shelter in their good works and their fruitful lives still sustain us. They may be gone but we still benefit from them.

Politically, some men have left us “trees” that we continue to enjoy their fruits and rest under their shade. Can the world at large ever forget the great tree Mahatma Gandhi left for us? And for us Africans we are so proud of a peaceful “revolutionist” like Nelson Mandela. We read the life’s account of a “game changer” like Lee Kuan Yew with great pride. A man whose vision transformed the lives of Singaporeans from living in bamboo houses into skyscrapers apartments. I cannot end without praising the founding fathers of the United States of America. What they built has become a blessing to billions of people. Society just needs a good seed in good soil to germinate and grow for the right impact to be affected. God’s grace of rains will always be available, but the seed needs to be protected in good soil. With my two eyes, I have seen gifted men/women whose lives were cut short through drugs and wayward living. We need to protect seeds that the heavens have blessed us with.

Some farmers may end up on the bad side during harvest season because certain circumstances may be beyond them. Some incidents in farming are simply beyond the farmer’s control no matter how hardworking he may be. But, if the rains come in due season and the right seeds are planted, then he should try to avoid the human factors that can work against his good yields at harvest time. We should try to avoid what we can and leave the rest to God, but we should always keep the old adage in mind: “heaven helps those who help themselves.” OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP PRAY FOR US.