The Ground Floor (2014-07-13)

[__01__]    The seed is the word.

“Some seed fell on rich soil.” (Matthew 13:8

This parable about the seed falling on the ground, on the earth is similar to the parable about the house built on rock.

In the parable about the house built on rock, our Lord and Savior said to us that the wise man built his house on rock so that when the winds blew and buffeted the house, it did not collapse. (cf. Matthew 7:24-25)

[__02__]     The foundation of the house is essential for the survival and strength of the house in a storm. The ground is its strength.

And, in the parable of the sower and the seed, the earth and the good soil give strength, beauty, health to the seeds which fall there.

[__03__]     From the ground, from the ground floor of the earth, we build.

Investors know this well in their pursuit of profits, to do as they say on the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ or the bond markets … “buy low and sell high.”

That is, to make big money, the investor wants to be in on the “ground floor”. 

For example, these days, Google or Starbucks are large corporations and it would be expensive to invest in them to own them. But, at one time, they were small …and certain individuals invested …bought in – at the “ground level” and the foundation level … and made big profits.

On the ground floor, we learn lessons which pay off later.

[__04__]      What is your ground floor? My ground floor?   I only use these “corporate” or businesses as examples … of the harvest that some of us may also observe or dream about …

Jesus wants us to be attentive to the ground floor, to the earth and the environment of our lives.

[__05__]     The quality of the soil, of the earth, of the ground will determine the growth and the results

Our Lord is calling us remember the importance of the soil, the earth, the environment, in which we grow and develop.

[__06__]     For all of us, this was – or is – our family and home life. This is our soil, in which we were raised or in which we currently raise and care for another person or young person.

[__07__]    As adults, don’t we demonstrate – manifest – the values which we learned on the ground floor of our family and home life.

We learn – or learned – many things from our parents and families even before we could rise up – get up – off the floor.

Our mothers, fathers, families, help to create the soil, the earth in which we grow…and in which the seed of the Word of God will fall into our lives.

From the Word of God, we learn about –

• Humility – St. Paul writes that Jesus came in human likeness and was found human in appearance but that he humbled himself and became obedient….

We not only, however, need the example of Jesus to be humble… we need the example of many people in our lives from whom we learn about the importance of listening, of confessing our sins, of repentance…so that the seed will fall into the rich soil…into a good climate.

From the Word of God, we learn about –

• Prayer  – the evangelists tell us that Jesus – on the night before he died – prayed that he was really doing God’s will.  He prays, Father, not my will but thine be done… as we say, “on earth as it is in heaven. ”

We not only, however, need the example of Jesus to pray … we need the example of our mothers, fathers by whom we are brought to church, with whom we pray  and say Grace before meals, with whom we might say a prayer before we go to sleep at night…

We need this soil so that we will be enriched …

We are also called to provide this soil of love, prayer, humility, to others so that God’s word may be multiplied, may grow…

Thirty, sixty, and hundred fold.

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