In a speech a few days ago at the University of Molise in southern Italy, Pope Francis told his listeners “exploiting the earth is our [modern] sin. One of the greatest challenges of our time,” he said, is to convert ourselves to a type of development that knows how to respect creation.” Back in May he told another group: “Creation is not a property, which we can rule over at will; or, even less, is it the property of only a few: Creation is a gift, it is a wonderful gift that God has given us, to be cared for and used for the benefit of all…with great respect and gratitude.”
In Jesus’ day, the farmer went out to sow her seeds. There was no machinery involved, no metal arms drilling seed into the ground at precisely the correct depth and distance for optimum growth. The farmer flung those seeds across the field by hand. Many fell on rockier ground or along the footpath or among thorns. Birds swooped down on the exposed seed, and the sun withered many of the new, young plants. There was a lot of wasted seed.
But Jesus didn’t talk about the soil or the seed. He didn’t need to. There wasn’t a question about depleting topsoil back then, and seeds weren’t being genetically modified, patented or mass-produced to create wealth rather than food. Seeds were seeds, and it was where they fell and the type of ground they landed on that really mattered. (more…)