Agnusday.org - The Lectionary Comic

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

2011-07-06 — EXCERPT FROM JESUS’ KINDERGARTEN REPORT CARD: “Little Jesus usually stays on task but often colors outside the lines. Needs improvement.”

BIBLE PASSAGE — That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: âListen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!â âŠ

âHear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.â

— Proper 10, Series A

Rich — 4699 days ago #

Jim,
Thanks for your consistently faithful efforts to picture the Good News is way that puts a smile on our faces and gives us just enough of a ribbing to keep us from getting too “full of ourselves.”
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One thought for this week’s cartoon—The Sower, 07.10.2011—I love the emphasis on God’s grace-filled/filling extravagance. If the emphasis is on God’s apparent wastefulness, then “careless” is a very good choice. If one wanted a stronger tie to the Romans 8 reading, would “carefree” be an appropriate substitute?
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Once again thanks so much for this visual ministry of laughter.
Jim — 4698 days ago #

Thanks Rich! You can be carefree if you’d prefer. We’re cool with that.