Farmers must carefully tend to their crops in order to do a good job. A good seed needs the right environment—sunlight, water, nutrients, and space—to truly thrive. Without the right conditions, even the best seed won’t produce fruit. We are the same way.

Our environment matters. The people around us, the care we receive, the love and patience we’re shown—these shape us. And just like the gardener in Jesus’ parable, God is at work, nurturing us with everything we need to grow, survive, and flourish. He stays with us, not because of what we produce but because we are His. His sons and daughters. So what does that mean for us? It means we need to be patient with one another. Maybe someone isn’t in the right environment to be their best self right now. Perhaps they need time, care, and grace.

Most importantly, it means that our worth isn’t tied to what we do or achieve. We are more than what we produce. Today, Father Tom Hurley brings us a powerful message about God’s patience and care and calls us to cultivate hearts of compassion.