A sower went out to sow his seed…
I had a group of young volunteers all ready to promote a youth retreat afternoon at our local parish. We stood at the doors of the church after Mass, resisting our own introvertedness and fears to initiate conversations with anyone who looked like they might be ‘youth’. People feel invisible in our giant parish, the element of personal contact is missing for many. We aimed to change that. To whom should we speak? The sower was extravagant in his sowing, he just threw the seed out there, without worrying too much about where it would land. I saw a young man, and stepped forward.
“Would you like to attend a youth retreat?” I was greeted with a suspicious glance, like I was trying to sell him something instead of extending a friendly invitation.
“No.”
“Why not? It’ll be fun! Talks and testimonies and music!” I bantered, undeterred.
“Um, I’m not from this parish.” (Talk about lame excuses.)
“That doesn’t matter, you can come anyway.”
“Uh, no thanks..”
“Okay, I can’t force you!”
As he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. (The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.)
Stylish teenagers from the parish youth group with coloured hair and high heels looked at me with guarded expressions.
“Hey guys! You coming for the youth retreat?”
“Um.. we’re going to Mass.”
“You can join us after Mass! You’ll join us then?”
“Okay.”
I poked my head out after Mass, and there they were, chatting animatedly, with no visible intention of joining the retreat. I grabbed my seeds and got ready to throw.
“Hey, retreat has started. You coming?”
One or two looked like they were interested but glanced at the ring leaders who wouldn’t meet my eye.
“We haven’t eaten yet.. we’ll just go home and get something to eat, and we’ll be back.”
“Really? Sure? Okay, I’ll see you then!”(I’m gullible.)
It was only a couple of hours later that I realized they didn’t show.
Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. (As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.)
One of our volunteers approach two girls outside the church. They were not Christians, but had felt an inexplicable urge to come visit the church that day. “Maybe we will find peace and a solution for our problems.”
“Would you like to attend the retreat?”
They were surprised, but readily agreed. They came for the retreat, and loved everything about it. They had to leave early because one of them had a sister who was home alone, and was calling to ask them to come home. They could hardly bear to tear themselves away.
“Do you have this every week? Can we come back? We came to the church before but we didn’t know what to do, how to pray, so we left.”
“There are many different ways to pray. The main thing is to just speak to God from your heart.”
“That’s what happened just now when we were singing songs (praise and worship). It was so awesome- it was like my heart was lifted to God, and He was just flowing into me! I loved it so much!”
As they ate lunch with the volunteers, they had many questions. “How can we know more? How do we read the bible? Can we have your number? We would love to learn more!”
Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold. (But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.)
Everyone who showed up for the retreat, from the socially awkward to the cool, from the 14 year old to the 50- something year old priest who came from a different parish and listened to all our talks and testimonies, from the seasoned retreat-goers to the ones who had never attended a retreat before and just showed up because it sounded cool, received something. As a youth minister I knew once said, “Show up for God, and God shows up for you.” Also “Just show up!”
My heart aches for those who missed out. I know God had something for them too. But the fears and insecurities and attachments were too strong. This time. We will continue to sow.
Lord, make us both extravagant sowers of your word, as well as good soil that receives it and bears fruit with patient endurance.
