Today’s Gospel reading is one that we’ve heard many times, the parable of the seed and the Sower. In this parable, Jesus describes the four places that the seed landed: the path, rocky ground, among thorns, and in fertile soil. He tells the people what happened to the seed in those various places, but he offered no explanation. Instead, He says “Whoever has ears ought to hear.” When his disciples asked why He spoke to the people in parables, He told them it was because the people (as prophesized by Isaiah) were not really listening or seeing…”they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be converted, and I heal them.” Only after saying this, does Jesus explain the parable to them, because the are His disciples and ARE listening. There are two equally important things to note here. When we think about Jesus explanation of the parable, clearly we want to be the fertile soil…people that hear the Word and understand it. But how does that happen? The answer is by opening our ears, eyes, and heart…by listening to, seeing in action, and loving in our hearts the Word. That means spending time reading, praying with, and then practicing what we read and hear. The more we read and contemplate, the better we’ll be able to both understand and practice what Jesus teaches us.