Luke Pearson

Dear Friends,

When I was thirteen years old, I had a dream of playing varsity lacrosse as a freshman in high school. Even though I attended a smaller school, the Varsity team was mostly made up of upperclassmen. In addition there hadn’t been a freshman who had made the team for the past three years. I knew that this was going to be a daunting task for me to undertake and that I had to be disciplined with my approach to making the team.

I first had to do some self-reflection of both my strengths and weaknesses of my game. I knew that I possessed great agility and endurance. However, I was twenty pounds lighter than most of the players trying out for the team, so I had to get stronger. I knew that I had good technique with my passing, but I had to improve my shooting speed and accuracy.  

After I evaluated my strengths and weaknesses, I took to the field in the middle of winter to prepare for the tryouts in the spring. I had a bucket filled with lacrosse balls and an empty lacrosse goal in front of me. I emptied the bucket about ten yards away from the goal and began to shoot. I focused mainly on accuracy. I picked one of the four corners of the net and would aim for that spot every time that I shot the ball. Before I began to shoot I made a pact with myself; if I missed my target I would drop to the ground and do 10 pushups.

I was on that field for hours, shooting the ball repetitively while trying to hit my target. I must admit that I missed a lot of shots and had to do a lot of pushups. Although, I was determined not to give up and was persistent with my approach to making the team. I could not take shortcuts in achieving my goals, and I had to build a foundation for my game through improving my fundamentals. Every time that I had to do a set of pushups I got a little bit stronger. Every time I shot and hit my target my confidence grew.  

When it was time to try out in the spring, I felt completely prepared. In the end, I made the varsity team. Although, I most likely wouldn’t have made it if I was not disciplined in my training for the tryouts. I had to have belief in the process of reaching my goal, as well as heightening my awareness of where I needed to improve as a lacrosse player

In today’s Daily Office Gospel, Jesus highlights the importance of preparation, discipline, and self-awareness in the Parable of the Sower. The parable is of a sower that sows seeds across varied topographies. Some of the seeds land on a path where the birds eat them up. There are some seeds that fall on rocky soil, and even though they spring up quickly wither away because they have no root. There are seeds that fall in-between thorns, and the plants were choked and could not grow. Finally the seed falls to good soil, “and it produces a crop – a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

So what does this Gospel mean for our spiritual growth? What is Jesus trying to tell us through this parable? In the next section of chapter thirteen in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus provides an explanation for us.

Christ and his word is the seed that is planted within our hearts, minds and spirits. When Jesus states, “Whoever has ears, let them hear” it is his way of grabbing our attention and showing that his love and lessons are available to all of us. When we do not fully understand who Christ is and what his purpose is we are like the path. The word is not imbued within us, and so we become vulnerable to being consumed by the dark forces around us. The seed on the rocky ground represents those who have immediate feelings of elation when they hear the word, but because they have no discipline in practicing their faith, Jesus' lessons wither from their cognizance. The third topography in the parable is the seed sown within the thorns. This represents those who hear the word, but it does not grow within them because they have their entire being fixed on material possessions and earthly pleasures.

So how can we be like the good soil as we prepare to be taught and transformed by our Savior? We must first have the capacity for self-reflection. We must not be afraid to ask ourselves: “What can I do to gain some more spiritual discipline, and how can I understand the word of God more fully? For some that may mean being more intentional with studying the bible, while for others that may mean attending church on a more regular basis. We all have different strengths and weaknesses, but that should not hinder our ability of desire to seek out Christ and his teachings. Then after we reflect, we must begin the process of turning all of our attention toward the Kingdom of Heaven.

As people of faith we should feel determined, as well as excited, to educate ourselves about God’s promise to us. It takes practice, but that practice is a blessing. It takes practice to love each other as Christ loved us. It takes hard work studying the word and gaining the fundamentals to truly understand it. Through our own sin, we continually miss the different targets that Jesus places before us. However, it is important that we keep aiming toward Christlikeness. When we do this our faith will grow stronger, and we will be prepared for the work God has given us to do. God did not take shortcuts with loving us, and therefore we cannot take shortcuts in loving God and each other. Now is the time to tend our spiritual soil, so that God’s grace can vibrantly grow among us.

Best,

Luke Pearson