Jesus used stories, parables, to explain the kingdom of heaven. Beginning this Sunday and for the next two Sundays, we will hear Jesus tell several different parables describing the kingdom in common, everyday language using common, everyday images. Today we have the Parable of the Sower. Next Sunday we have the Parable of the Man Sowing Good Seed and the Parable of the Mustard Seed. And on July 26th we will hear Jesus presenting the Kingdom of Heaven as a treasure hidden in a field, a pearl of great price and a fisherman’s net.
When the disciples asked Jesus why he spoke in parables, he answered, "Because knowledge of the mysteries of
the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been
granted. ... they look but do not see
and hear but do not listen or understand" (Matt. 13: 11, 13). Jesus was not trying to repress or hide the
truth. He says, "Whoever has ears
ought to hear" (Matt. 13: 9).
However, many who did look and hear, particularly the orthodox leaders
of the day, chose not to see or understand.
They rejected Jesus and threw him out of the synagogues. So, Jesus took his message to the people. He preached wherever people gathered, in
market places, town squares, by the sea, in the fields and in people's
homes. He brought a message of hope,
telling stories in language he knew they would understand with concrete
examples from their daily lives: farming, fishing, commerce, cooking and
relationships.
No matter what imagery he used, Jesus' message was consistent, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt.
10: 7). The kingdom is here, present,
now and it is open to you. Turn your
lives around and follow me. For the
disciples, the devout followers and those of us who did and do open our eyes to
see, our ears to hear and our hearts to understand, Jesus offers a
blessing: “blessed are your eyes, because they see, and
your ears, because they hear. Amen, I
say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but
did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it” (Matt.13:
16 -17). When our eyes, ears and hearts
are open to understand Jesus' message, when we accept the message and when we
incorporate that message into the way we live, Jesus becomes a living presence
in our world.
God of the heavens,
God of the earth,
all creation awaits your gift of new life.
Prepare our hearts to receive the word of your Son,
that we may hear it, understand it,
and bear fruit a hundredfold.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
AMEN.
