Christ is giving us an amazing parable today, describing how different people respond to Christ.  All of the people he describes hear the Good News and accept Christ into their hearts, but it only flourishes in one group of people: the ones whose hearts are “good ground”.  Unlike the others, they “hear the word with a noble and good heart, keep it, and bear fruit with patience.” 

We cannot live life in joy without God.  We cannot truly enjoy our relationships with one another unless we ourselves and those relations are grounded in the Truth.  So it is vital that we understand what Christ is telling us.  What is it about the last group that allows them to keep the word in their hearts, that protected it from the thievery of the evil one; that allowed the Truth to take root and grow in them; to avoid the temptations that would pull them into error and lies; that would insulate them from the hedonistic cares, riches, and pleasures of life that would render them barren; in short, how does one develop a “good and noble heart”?

To develop Christ’s parable a bit, what can we do to prepare the grounds of our hearts for the seed of His Word?  A farmer prepares the ground for planting in a very careful and intentional way.  He removes rocks and thorns and weeds; and does whatever he can to make sure it is fertile.  How do we remove the rocks, thorns and weeds from our hearts?  How can we make it fertile so that the Truth will grow in us?

Let me give you the short answer:  Orthodoxy.

Some people wonder why we have all this stuff: all the icons, the iconostasis, the altar, the vestments, the rituals, the prayers, and the customs; why we cross ourselves, bow, and make prostrations; thank God in the morning and the evening and before and after each meal; why we fast on Wednesday and Friday, before Communion, and in preparation for major feasts; why we get our houses blessed; why we make such a big deal about Baptisms, first Confessions, and Marriages; why we follow customs like kissing the bishops hand and asking for his blessing; and why we are gathered here today to celebrate the Divine Liturgy.  The deep theological answer to “why do you have all this stuff”? is that it flows naturally from the Incarnation of God as Jesus Christ, and that His Incarnation continues mysteriously in His Holy Orthodox Church.  But the more immediate answer is that we have all this stuff because it is what keeps our heart’s fertile for the flourishing of Christ’s word within us.  All this stuff prepares the soil, removes the stones, pulls the weeds, and allows the seed within us to yield a “hundredfold” as described in the parable.

Plenty of people want to know if all this stuff is really necessary.  Our pews are not full, so I have to assume that most people are trying for an “easier way”; that they are going to make a go of it without all the stuff.  I wish them good luck, but the parable today leads me to fear for their failure, to wonder if they are doing enough to allow for a full harvest.

Friends will tell you that they love God and see Him everywhere.  They do not need Church to keep Christ’s word in their hearts.  They experience God in other ways: in a walk through the park, time spent with friends, caring for the poor, tending their garden, or taking care of animals.  They really do not need something as old fashioned as Church.  It may not be Orthodox, but the seed is the same.

Others will tell you that they have found an easier way to worship, a way that is simpler, more modern, more entertaining, and far less demanding.  That it may not have all the stuff of Orthodoxy, but that all that stuff isn’t necessary – the only thing you really need is to accept Christ into your heart.  The rest is just a celebration of this decision, so why make it so hard?  Why not make it more fun?  No, it’s not Orthodoxy, but the seed is the same.

On the face of things, both arguments have merit: you can and should encounter God everywhere; every motion and encounter should be a sacrament that works to bring you into closer union with Him.  It is also true that the most important thing is to accept Christ into your heart.  But when you look at the alternatives to Orthodoxy using today’s parable, you understand how incomplete and how dangerous they are.  God would not be warning us about the many ways the Word can leave our hearts if it were as easy as all that.  It’s not easy.  Nothing worthwhile is.  We can pretend it is easy – like when we buy lots of cool stuff on credit – but eventually reality brings this fantasy to an end.  The farmer can pretend that all it takes is to have really good seed, and that all he must do to gain a good crop is spread it everywhere; that he can just sleep in, take strolls through the park, and have fun while it grows on its own, then harvest it all in the Fall.  Yes, he can pretend that it is easy to grow a nice crop… right up until harvest time. 

The seed that God has given us good.  It has the potential to change our lives.  To grow us into perfection.  But just having the good seed is not enough.  The soil must be prepared.  The garden must be tended.  Orthodoxy is the practical wisdom and practice of spiritual gardening.  It’s not always easy, and you may be tempted to take short-cuts and compromise your faith.  But when you are tempted to do this, to ignore some of the “stuff” of Orthodoxy, think of the parable of the sower.  Cross yourself and keep gardening.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of Holy Spirit.  Amen.