Tending the Soil of Our Souls

The Parable of the Sower helped me understand the transformative power of spending time daily with the Word of God, especially in overcoming obstacles to living the Catholic faith.

Although the Catholic Mass is seeped in Scriptures, it took me years to realize it; not exactly sure where in my catechesis the communication breakdown occurred, but the fact remains that the seeds, the Word of God, had been scattered before me, my entire life. However, like the seeds strewn on the rocky path in the parable, although the Word had reached my ears, the devil took full advantage of my ignorance and snatched the meaning away before it could penetrate my heart. 

At times, I attempted to grow spiritually by attending retreats or presentations. These set my heart on fire for the things of God. All my senses heightened — the incense smelled sweeter, the readings felt more inspired, the homilies touched deep into my heart as if they were written just for me; even kneeling in prayer felt more reverent. Filled with this renewed desire to become closer to God, I vowed to pray a daily Rosary, attend Mass more faithfully, and not give into my fears by continuing to avoid the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

Yet, over time all those things I had discovered to nourish my budding faith — the encouraging retreat team, consistent study of the Scriptures, or quiet time for prayer — faded. I did not stick with anything long enough to develop deep roots of faith, and my attention to God withered away. Left with a thirst for more yet unable to duplicate the euphoric feelings of my retreat experiences, I allowed the thorns of the world to grow all around me. Any seeds dropped would be choked by the weeds of daily worries, concerns, and tasks. 

Prayer dissolved into a speedy blessing before meals, a quick petition as I tried to make our income cover our expenses, or an Our Father or Hail Mary as I drifted off to sleep; all prayed more out of habit than a yearning for a deeper faith. My weekly Mass participation spurned more out of a desire for perfect attendance and a heavenly insurance policy than a love of the Lord. 

Finally, joining a small group faith sharing tilled the rich soil necessary for true spiritual growth. However, even rich soil needs consistent tending for seeds to continue flourishing within it—weeds of distraction, busyness, and apathy need constant extraction, or they will completely overtake our time with the Lord. Fertilizing the soil is critical. Our faith is watered and nurtured by what I refer to as the "Grace Trifecta," which consists of daily participation in prayer, sacrament, and Scripture. Our beautiful Catholic faith provides the gardening tools for an abundant harvest; we merely need to pick them up and tend the soil of our souls.