
“And for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.” As Jesus said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

1. What does a plant need to grow? What kind of soil does a plant need? Does it need water? How much? Does it need sunshine? How much? Does it need warm weather or cold weather? How do you know this about plants?
2. Do you think it is easy to grow a plant or difficult to grow a plant? Why do you say that?
3. If someone tells me my heart is like a hard rock what does he mean? If someone tells you your heart is like soft fertile soil what does she mean?
4. At school your teacher tries to plant seeds of information in you like the sower in this Gospel. How can you make your mind fertile soil for that seed? What kinds of things do you do at school to help learn the things your teacher is teaching you? (Examples: practice, homework, take time to think about it, be patient when it is hard to understand, listen to the teacher, pay attention to the teacher.)
5. If God is our teacher, sowing seeds of his message in us, how can we make our minds and souls fertile soil for his teachings? What kinds of things do we do at church to practice being good gardeners tending the plant God has planted in us? What do we do at home to practice being good gardeners? (Examples: pray, read scripture, be merciful the way God is merciful, help others, etc.)