In the story The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgeson Burnett, the orphan child, Mary Lennox, is sent from India to live with her uncle in his Yorkshire manor. Mary is a spoilt, badly-behaved girl, but when she discovers all the wildlife in the garden and the joy that comes with planting seeds, a change comes upon her and healing begins. She is able then to bring healing to her sickly cousin Colin.
Jesus’ parable of the Sower has a timeless quality, as every generation can picture the sowing of seed. The rich soil nourishes the seed and it grows. However, this soil occurs in unexpected places, as it did with Mary Lennox. Matthew,the teller of today’s story, was a tax-collector for the Romans. It is probable that he creamed off part of the taxes for himself. However when Jesus, the Word of God, called him, he did not hesitate to follow. Zaccheus, also a tax-collector, received Jesus joyfully in his home and vowed to give half his property to the poor and to recompense those whom he cheated. On the other hand, those who were versed in the Law and who were leaders of the people were too choked up with concerns about their status to even listen to Jesus. Others listened but soon were carried away by worldly matters.