Parable of the Seed Planted in the Ground

This parable is reported only by Mark 4:26-29. It is one of the many parables of Jesus using the image of the seed. In this one, the seed grows without the intervention of man: nature takes care of everything. The sower sows only with faith and reaps with joy. The canon Osty, in his footnote, exclaims: "Beautiful parable, which can serve as Consolation to all those who believe they preach in the desert." This is indeed the meaning that this parable takes in the writings of Maria Valtorta.

In Maria Valtorta

It is reported in EMV 184.4, in the same episode as the Parable of the Mustard Seed.

The context

Jesus is in Magdala, at the very beginning of the second year of his public life. He was silenced under the effect of an inner motion at the great Scandal of Peter who knows the licentious reputation of this resort on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Suddenly, a weeping Woman calls for help, her son has just been mortally wounded in a brawl among lovers of the notorious Mary of Magdala (Magdalene) (EMV 183.2). The dying man is a head of Family driven mad by lust. He is dragged out of the crime villa and Jesus heals him for the sake of the children and the grieving wife. Mary Magdalene followed the procession. Jesus passes before her without a word

Jesus slows down as if to wait for the Disciples, but I believe he does so to give Mary the opportunity to make a gesture. But she does not. The Disciples join. Jesus and Peter cannot help but say to Mary, under his breath, a fitting epithet. And she, to compose herself, bursts out laughing which is for her a poor little triumph.

But Jesus has heard Peter's word. He turns around and says sternly: "Peter, I do not insult. Do not insult. Pray for sinners. Nothing else."

Mary (Magdalene) stops laughing, lowers her head, and flees like a gazelle toward her house (EMV 183.5).

Everyone comments on the drama and its cause, the healing and Jesus’ attitude. They find it too lenient and devoid of the reproaches they expected to hear. They whisper behind his back.

The parable

Jesus then addresses those who are discussing and clarifies his attitude:

You doubt that Mary (of Magdala) will come to Good. No sign in her indicates she will take this step. Brazen and shameless, aware of her situation and her power, she dared to defy people and come to the threshold of the house where they cry because of her. At Peter's reproach she responds with a burst of laughter. Before my gaze inviting her, she stiffens proudly. Perhaps you wished that for the love of Lazarus, for love of Myself, I would speak to her directly, at length, overwhelming her with my power by showing my strength as Messiah Savior. No. It must not be. I said it about another sinner months ago. Souls must be formed by themselves. I pass by, I cast the seed. Secretly the seed works. The Soul must be respected in its work. If the first seed does not take root, another is sown, another again... only giving up when there is certain proof of the uselessness of sowing. And we pray. Prayer is like the dew on the clods, it keeps them fresh and fertile, and the seed can germinate.

Jesus centers his teaching on the long work of the Soul itself and on the role of prayer accompanying the action of God. For “the Kingdom of God in Hearts is created by the Divine Sower. He comes to his domain—man belongs to God because every man belongs to Him from his origin—and He spreads his seed there.” Then follows the parallel between the slow maturation of the plant and that of the Soul.

“In Hearts, my word does the same work. I speak of Hearts that receive the seed. But the work is slow. It is necessary to avoid ruining everything by untimely interventions. How hard it is for the little seed to open and push its roots into the earth! For the hard and wild Heart, this work is difficult too. It must open, let itself be broken, receive new shoots, toil to nourish them, appear different because covered with humble and useful things and no longer with the attractive, pompous, useless and exuberant blossom that previously adorned it. It must be content to work humbly, without attracting admiration, to usefully realize the divine Idea. It must activate all its capacities to grow and form the ear of grain. It must consume itself in love to become grain. And when, after having triumphed over human considerations so very, very, very painful, after having fatigued, suffered to adapt to its new garment, behold it must strip itself to undergo a cruel pruning [...] The life of the sinner who becomes saint is the longest, most heroic, most glorious battle. I tell you so (EMV 184.4).”

As a Confirmation of the power of love in Hearts, Jesus questions Matthew:

“Did I perhaps act differently with you, Matthew?” – “No, my Lord.” – “And tell me the truth: was it my patience that persuaded you more or the harsh reproaches of the Pharisees?” – “It is your patience, to the point that here I am. The Pharisees, with their contempt and their anathemas, made me contemptuous and by contempt I acted worse than before. This is what happens. One stiffens more when, being in sin, one hears oneself called a sinner. But, when instead of an insult, it is a caress that comes, one remains amazed, then one weeps... and, when one weeps, the framework of sin is unbolted and falls. One remains naked before Goodness and begs it with all Heart to clothe us with Itself (EMV 184.5).”

Notes and references

Note: Quotations from the work of Maria Valtorta on this page currently use machine-translated text and will gradually be replaced by the official English translation. Until then, the official translation may be consulted through the reference link provided with each quotation.