Jesus, en route to Jerusalem, may have formulated his famous parable of the sower in the many would-be disciples he encountered on the way; the hard ground of the Samaritans who reject him; the man whose eager faith dries up at the first sign of adversity; the other who hesitates because he must first bury his father, or the other who must say goodbye to family. These are seeds that fail to take root, that are trampled on the road or gobbled up by the birds of worldly cares. By following Jesus, we must be prepared to endure rejection. We must have the determination to stay the course and the resolve to turn away from the allure of this world in order to see beyond it to the glory that awaits us all.
Deacon Dick Folger