Luke 8:5-15

October 19, 2008

It is possible to understand this parable as a metaphor concerning spiritual warfare, and that’s how we will look at it today. In this spiritual battle, we have to be aware of the dangers presented by the enemy. We have to know how to battle with diligence. We also have to have some sense of blessing for those who manage to overcome. Let’s look at this beautiful parable.

Our enemy is the devil. He is very real, and we dare not dismiss him as some sort of metaphor for evil. This devil is personal, he is our enemy, the Serpent from of old, and he aims at our harm. He uses all of his cunning, and even sometimes, appears to be an angel of light. He attempts to lead us to spiritual disorder. The signs of spiritual disorder are lack of spiritual warmth, lack of love, impurity, and a disregard for holiness.

The devil first of all tempts us. He may tempt us to leave the Church. He may whisper in our ears that the Church does not make us feel good, and does not give us happiness. Of course the Church offers, instead of happiness, the truth! This truth is designed to make us uncomfortable, not comfortable! If we are really engaged in spiritual warfare, it will not be pleasant, will it?

Jesus mentions three “children of the devil.” These evil children will poison us if we let them. What are these children? The Lord labels them the “cares and riches and pleasures of this life...” If we listen to these evil children, we will bring forth little spiritual fruit.

CARES: Cares mean to worry about the future, and to be anxious about life. Cares tempt us to be worry about whether we have enough money, to worry about health to excess, and so forth. These consume our attention, and lead us away from the “one thing needful,” Christ Himself.

RICHES: How easy it is for “things” and money and the prestige of having money to consume us. The more we have, the more we consume - and the less happy we seem to be! If we trust in material security, we need to transform that into trusting God.

PLEASURES: The home of pleasure is in this world. It is here, in this age, that the foolishness of pleasure takes root. The reason we have fasting is to keep pleasure in well-defined limits. If we do not keep pleasures in their proper place they will begin to rule us.

If we give in to these “children,” we will “bring no fruit to perfection.” And what are these fruits? They are (according to St. Paul): love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. If we do not bear this fruit, we deserve only to be thrown away. Those who do not bear such fruit have been taken over by the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life.

The antidote to the poisonous teachings of the devil’s “children” is simple. It means three things: First, it means to have “an honest and good heart.” It is the heart, consumed by love for God, that becomes honest and good.

It is to have “heard the word” and to have “kept it.” This means to read the Bible, most certainly. But it also means to have listened to God in prayer and in worship. It also means to have made the sincere effort ot put the spiritual life into practice, which is a matter of the will.

There is one more antidote to this poison. It is to “bring forth fruit with patience.” Yes bring forth fruit - but do so in patience! Any good gardener is very patient. If we are to “grow” this “spiritual garden” that bears good and holy fruit, we will be patient, and yet we will not slacken.

- Father Mark