On Wednesday, May 21, Pope Leo XIV continued the cycle of catecheses on Jesus Christ, our hope, begun by Francis. He deepened the theme using the Parable of the Sower (Mt 13:3–23).
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The Holy Father drew attention to the “wastefulness” of the sower, who scatters seeds even in unlikely places: among stones and thorns. This seemingly irrational action reflects, according to the Pope, the way God loves us.
“We are used to calculating everything — and sometimes that’s necessary — but love doesn’t work that way! The way this ‘wasteful’ sower scatters the seed is an image of how God loves us.”
He acknowledged that “the fate of the seed depends on how the soil receives it and the conditions it’s in,“ but with this story, Jesus reveals that the Lord sows the seed of His word in every situation we find ourselves in: “sometimes we are superficial and distracted, sometimes carried away by enthusiasm, sometimes overwhelmed by the worries of life — but there are also times when we are open and welcoming.”
“God trusts and waits, knowing that sooner or later the seed will bear fruit.” It is in this generosity and mercy of the Lord that we find the hope this parable invites us to embrace, for “seeing that He trusts us awakens in us the desire to become the best soil we can be.”
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To illustrate the mystery of this parable, Leo XIV referred to Van Gogh’s painting “The Sower and the Sunset” — which to him represents the effort of a farmer under a scorching sun.
He highlighted two aspects of the image. First, behind the sower stands a field of mature wheat: “To me, it seems like an image of hope: in one way or another, the seed bore fruit. We don’t really know how, but that’s how it happens.”
Second, the protagonist is not at the center of the painting, but at its edge. “The whole painting is dominated by the image of the sun — perhaps to remind us that it is God who moves history, even when He seems absent or distant. It is the sun that warms the earth and makes the seed grow,” he explained.
And you — in what situation does the Word of the Lord reach you today? Do you see yourself as fertile soil or rocky ground? Let us ask the Lord for the grace to always welcome this seed that is His word. And if we realize we’re not fertile soil, let’s not lose heart. Instead, let’s ask Him to keep working in us so we may become better soil.
