The Field, the Thief, and the Harvest

The Field, the Thief, and the Harvest

Opening Scripture

“Mary said to Jesus, "Whom are your disciples like?"

He said, "They're like little children living in a field which isn't theirs. When the owners of the field come, they'll say, 'Give our field back to us.' They'll strip naked in front of them to let them have it and give them their field.

"So I say that if the owner of the house realizes the bandit is coming, they'll watch out beforehand and won't let the bandit break into the house of their domain and steal their possessions. You, then, watch out for the world! Prepare to defend yourself so that the bandits don't attack you, because what you're expecting will come. May there be a wise person among you!

"When the fruit ripened, the reaper came quickly, sickle in hand, and harvested it. Anyone who has ears to hear should hear!"

— Gospel of Thomas, Saying 21: The Parables of the Field, the Bandits, and the Reaper

Mary once asked Jesus, “What are your disciples like?” And Jesus gave a set of puzzling parables.
At first glance, they seem scattered, a story about children in someone else’s field, a householder preparing for a thief, and a farmer harvesting his crop. But if we look closely, they reveal a single thread:
Be aware. Be prepared. Be ready to let go.
Today, let me share a modern parable that weaves these lessons together.

The Parable of the Borrowed Garden

There was once a village where the people loved gardens. They would wander the outskirts to admire beautiful plots filled with flowers, fruit trees, and leafy vegetables. One day, a young woman named Mira found an abandoned garden. The soil was rich, and the sun shone brightly there.

Mira decided to plant. She worked the ground, sowed seeds, watered daily. Soon the garden blossomed, strawberries spilled over the beds, roses climbed the trellis, and bright marigolds danced in the wind. People came from the village to praise her work.

But one afternoon, a stranger appeared at the gate.
“This is my family’s land,” he said. “My ancestors planted these trees long before you came. I’ve returned to reclaim it.”

Mira stood silent. Then she smiled, wiped the dirt from her hands, and said, “It was never mine. I only tended it for a while. Thank you for letting me borrow its beauty.” She walked away, leaving her harvest behind.

The Bandit and the Night Watch

That evening, as Mira traveled home, she heard cries from another farmhouse. A thief had broken in while the owners slept. The thief carried off their lanterns, grain sacks, and even their silver cups. The villagers awoke too late. They ran out cursing, but the bandit had already vanished into the night.

An old woman shook her head.
“If only they had stayed alert,” she whispered. “A lamp by the door, a watchman in the hall, it might have saved them.”

The Surprise of the Harvest

Days later, Mira passed a wheat field ready for harvest. A farmer arrived with his sickle and cut down the golden heads in hours. Watching this, Mira thought,
“So quickly life’s fruit is gathered. One moment green, the next cut and carried away.”

Bringing It Home

Jesus’ words hold these same lessons:

1. You’re like children in a field that isn’t yours.
   Your body, your wealth, your days on this earth, they’re borrowed. When the true Owner returns, you must be ready to let it all go.

2. Stay awake like a householder watching for a bandit.
   Temptations, troubles, and even death come like thieves in the night. Guard your heart. Keep your lamp burning.

3. When the fruit ripens, the reaper comes quickly.
   Our lives ripen with choices, habits, and love (or lack of it). When the harvest comes, there’s no bargaining. The time to grow is now.
   

A Simple Call

So, watch over your garden. Know it isn’t truly yours.
Be vigilant, guarding against the bandits of greed, resentment, and fear.
And grow fruit worthy of harvest, kindness, wisdom, compassion, so when the reaper arrives, you’ll meet him without regret.

“Anyone who has ears to hear, let them hear.”