WORDS FROM FATHER YOHANES: The Sower’s Call to Unity

By Father Yohanes Akoit

Thomas Aquinas once said in the Summa Theologiae that God is equivalent with truth (Verum), beauty (Pulchrum), and goodness (Bonum). According to Aquinas, God is identical with truth because all truth comes from Him. There is no error, falsehood, or contradiction in God. Whatever God says is true. God is also identical with goodness because no one in this world can compare themselves with the perfection of God. Therefore, what we can do is simply strive to participate in God’s goodness. The same applies to beauty. God is Pulchrum because true beauty comes from harmony, perfection, and splendor. Every beautiful thing in creation is only a reflection of God’s beauty.

Influenced by this teaching, our time and generation often fall into distortion and dichotomy. We strive to participate in God’s goodness, beauty, and truth, yet at the same time forget that we are called to complement one another. It is true that we are called to participate in God’s goodness, but not in the sense of “survival of the fittest.” We are called to live as children of God and disciples of Christ. Therefore, we must love God and love one another. This is the key point we should not forget when applying the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas in daily life. Our practice of faith is not only about our personal effort to become more like Christ, but also about helping one another reach the same goal.

Let us put this into a concrete example. In family life, when a problem arises, blame or accusation often follows. People may ask: Why did this happen? Are you kidding me? You are careless! You’re a troublemaker! By using these words, they indirectly claim that they themselves represent truth and goodness, and that the one who made the mistake must learn from them. In doing so, they create a dichotomy between themselves and the one who failed: the “survivor” and the “failure.” They assume that those who survive are the truth, more like Christ, while those who fail become a mirror for the survivors to judge their behavior. This is not the way we participate in God’s goodness and truth. We should see the failure of others as our own failure. If a problem happens in the family, then it is the family’s problem. Each member should reflect on what they can contribute to solve it. They should demolish the dichotomy between judge and wrongdoer. Instead, they should cultivate a sense of siblinghood that leads them to solve the problem together. They are not isolated individuals but a communion.

The Church reminds us of this once again through the Gospel reading of the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Matthew 13:1-23). It speaks about the Sower who scattered seeds: some fell on rocky ground, others among thistles, and others on good soil. These three locations do not refer to three separate places. They are parts of the same property belonging to the Sower. The owner will try to cultivate and harvest more crops from the entire land. He and his workers will work together to make the whole property fertile. Therefore, this parable speaks about unity. It reminds us of the dichotomy we often create between ourselves and others. The Gospel calls us to unity and to participate in solving problems together. We need to let the spirit of brotherhood echo in our hearts and minds. It reminds us that their problem is also my problem. Therefore, when we see a neighbor in difficulty, we should let this echo rise in our hearts: What can I do to help? This simple question gently leads us to step in, to care, and to help our neighbor face their challenges. *

Father Yohanes Akoit is pastor of St. Julian and St. Anthony Catholic churches in Kentucky.