Apart from the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the Parable of the Sower is probably Jesus' best known and loved parable. Along with the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the Parable of the Sower lends itself easily to artistic depiction. Part of the parable's attraction derives from the explanation which accompanies it. We are helped to grasp its significance immediately. Even if we do not live in a world where we encounter farmers scattering seeds by hand, we are led through the explanation of the Parable to understand how it applies to our own lives.

Like all the parables, so too this parable can be read from different angles. We can concentrate on the figure of the Sower, or on the seed itself, or on the type of soil which received the seed.

Was the Sower disappointed that so many of His seeds bore no fruit? The Church continually does so much to sow the seed of the Word of God, but so often the result seems disappointing. So many Sunday sermons, so many catechism classes, so many retreats, so many spiritual talks, so many courses on Scripture! What fruit does all this sowing yield? We can only trust that the Lord of the harvest sees fruit where we cannot see any.