To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it?

 

 Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be reveled, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." 

 

And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he  himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

 

 Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade." 

 

And with may such parable He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.   

 

- Mark 4:21-34 

 

Yesterday we read that again Jesus began to teach by the sea.  And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on land facing the sea.  Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:  "Listen!  Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.  Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.  And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.  But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."  And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.  And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.'  And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?  How then will you understand all the parables?  The sower sows the word.  And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown.  When they hear,  Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.  These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time.  Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.  Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other tings entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.  But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

 

  Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be reveled, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  Again, as in yesterday's reading (see above), Jesus emphasizes our own capacity to hear spiritually.  My study Bible says that Christ's words here are a call to attentive listening and discriminating response.  We must not only hear, it says, but hear properly.  More will be given to those who respond to Christ with open hearts, and they will grow in understanding.  My study Bible moreover has a very helpful quote from St. Mark the Ascetic, who says, "Do the good you know, and what you do not know will be revealed to you."  

 

 And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he  himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."   This particular parable is found only here, in the Gospel of St. Mark.  The kingdom here is a reference to the whole span of God's dispensation or plan of salvation.  The man is Christ, my study Bible explains, and the seed is the gospel (as in the parable of the Sower in yesterday's reading, above).  The man's sleep is an indication of Christ's death, from which He will rise.  That the man does not know how the seed grows teaches us that Christ does not coerce nor manipulate people's response to the gospel.  Each person is to receive it and to let it grow in one's own heart.  The harvest is the Second Coming, when all will be judged on their reception of the gospel.  

 

 Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."   According to my study Bible, the mustard seed represents the disciples, who, according to Theophylact, began as just a few, but "soon encompassed the whole earth."  These also stand for faith entering a person's soul, my study Bible says, which causes an inward growth of virtue.  This soul will become godlike, and can even receive angels (the birds of the air).

 

 And with may such parable He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.   My study Bible comments that, to unbelievers, the parables remain bewildering.  To those with simple faith, it notes, these stories using common images reveal truth in ways they can grasp, as they were able.  

 

The parable of the mustard seed is always one that is inspiring.  Why is that?  Because the picture of the mustard seed growing into a sturdy bush, large enough and strong enough to put branches that even the birds can find rest in shade within, is something that is beautiful.  In fact this topic of what we think of as beauty can be understood as part and parcel of where we find our faith.  The quiet, sweet picture Jesus presents of a bush where even the birds can find rest in its shade is one that reflects peace and goodness.  If the birds of the air can easily be thought of as angels -- the messengers of God whom we depict with wings accordingly -- then what messages and wisdom we receive indeed may be thought of as a part of that which is built and housed in this tree, or sturdy bush.  The mustard, we already know, additionally produces a spice used to flavor food, it enhances life in this sense, makes the common things of life more rich and pleasurable -- another very simple kind of beauty for all to enjoy.  The yellow flowers of mustard are bright like gold or the sun; they bring us a kind of light and they beautify fields as they spread.  The golden color reminds us of associations with heaven; the shade of the sturdy branches offering a home for what is good and true and beautiful:  the words and presence of angels.   There is poetic beauty even in this tiny two-verse parable, in itself expressing the concept of the explosive and surprising growth of the kingdom from such a tiny source as a mustard seed.  For in this one-sentence parable given us by Christ is so much that we can reflect on in terms of illuminating aspects of the kingdom of God.  Most of all, we should consider what the parable tells us about growth within ourselves, what God's kingdom does within us, for us, and to us.  My study Bible gives the interpretation of the soul that can experience expansive growth, virtue, and the reception even of angels -- an expression of beauty surpassing and transcendent beyond ordinary earthly things, transfigured and transfiguring what is around oneself.  In this parable of dynamic growth is contained the reality of creation and God's creativity, so that we can understand how the expression of God's kingdom is an extension of all that has come before, the creativity and work of God expanding in the world.  In this we see both the activity of the disciples (and that ongoing!), as well as the soul's inward growth of virtue and wisdom and grace.  Moreover, when coupled with the parable  that comes before it, we're taught that we might not be aware of all of this happening and how exactly it happens, but nevertheless we awaken to find that it is suddenly so.  We look back to find change in ourselves and we can marvel at the spiritual life that gives us grace that we didn't think we had.  This, too, is an expression and experience of beauty.  Let us turn toward the simple truth of all that Christ gives us, for this is the reality of life, of God's creation and beauty calling us to experience and to participate in it -- and extending within our lives, our souls, our world.  Even in the simple dignity and beauty of creation, Jesus gives us the ways God speaks to us through all things. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given

 

 Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."

And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade." 

 

And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples. 

 

- Mark 4:21–34 

 

Yesterday we read that again Jesus began to teach by the sea.  And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.  Then He taught the many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:  "Listen!  Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.  Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.  And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.  But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."  And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.  And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.'  And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?  How then will you understand all the parables?  The sower sows the word.  And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown.  When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.  These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time.  Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.  Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.  But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

 

  Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Continuing from yesterday's reading (above), we see that Jesus has given a parable which is about endurance in our faith, and the fruitfulness thereof (our capacity to "bear fruit" in faithfulness).  So this lamp that must be set on a lampstand, and remain unhidden, is the light of the truth of Christ, how we are illumined, and what we do to produce that fruitfulness He spoke of.  This is connected to our capacity to hear the word -- the seed of the Sower.

 

Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  My study Bible comments that this is a call to attentive listening and discriminating response.  It says that we must not only hear, but hear properly.  More will be given to those who respond to Christ with open hearts -- these will grow in understanding.  My study Bible quotes from St. Mark the Ascetic:  "Do the good you know, and what you do not know will be revealed to you."  Note also that Jesus repeated this message many times.  It is found also Matthew 7:2 and Luke 6:38, each time in a different context. 

And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."   My study Bible comments that this parable is found only in the Gospel of St. Mark.  The kingdom is a reference to the entire span of God's dispensation or plan of salvation.  The man is Christ, and the seed is the gospel (see verses 13-20, Christ's explanation of the parable of the Sower).  His sleep, my study Bible says, indicates Christ's death, from which He will rise.  That the man does not know how the seed grows shows that Christ does not manipulate man's response to the gospel, but each person is free to receive it and to let it grow in his own heart.  The harvest is an indication of Christ's Second Coming, when all will be judged on their reception of the gospel.  

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."   My study Bible comments that the mustard seed and the leaven represent the disciples who, according to Theophylact, began as just a few men, but "soon encompassed the whole earth."  It says that these also stand for faith entering a person's soul, which causes an inward growth of virtue.  This soul will become godlike and can receive even angels. 

And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.  My study Bible comments that to unbelievers, the parables remain bewildering.   To those with simple faith, it says, these stories using common images reveal truth in was they can grasp, as they were able. 

If we can expand from the final note here in my study Bible, we learn from St. Mark's words that Christ spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  This gives us a very strong idea that our faith is meant to be an expanding, growing, and learning journey.  It is not something which simply grasps us at one point, but rather something that keeps offering us more, and keeps opening us up to more, as we are capable to hear it.  And there we come to Christ's repeated emphasis, in using the words of the Prophet Isaiah, on how we hear ("Take heed what you hear"; see also Isaiah 6:9-10).  These lead to the teaching He uses in a number of different contexts:  "With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  In Matthew 7:2, Jesus applies these words to how we practice judgment, whether we leave judgment to God.  In Luke 6:38, Jesus is applying these words to the practice of forgiveness, that we are forgiven as we forgive.  Here in today's reading, Jesus applies this same principle to how we hear, how we receive the word of God; that is, the word of the Sower, Jesus.  What this seems to imply is that Christ's teaching can be universally applied on many levels, that this is the way that our Divine/human cooperation works.  It seems to be similar to the understanding of repentance, that although God extends forgiveness to all (for this is how we receive Christ's words from the Cross, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do"; see Luke 23:32-34), we must also repent in order to realize that forgiveness.  It tells us about this Divine/human synergy, what is understand as our need to cooperate with and to live the word of God in the practice of our faithfulness.  God does not want us as pawns, but rather as those to whom God has given free will, in a freely loving and obedient relationship, within which we are disciples (or "learners") who grow in likeness to the image our Creator has given us (Genesis 1:26).  When we are offered a choice in life -- of whether we forgive, or practice mercy or a kindness, or obey in prayerful participation with God -- we should always keep this cooperative, seemingly reciprocal principle in mind, which Christ asserts to us so often.  It is an important reminder that God asks us for our participation, for this is what love is made of.

 

 

 

But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you

 

 Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."  But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"  And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."  

 

Then He spoke a parable to them, saying:  "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.  And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'  So he said, 'I will do this:  I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."'  But God said to him, 'Fool!  This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'  So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."

 

- Luke 12:13-31 

 

Yesterday we read that as Jesus was speaking to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.  In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.  For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.  Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.  And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.  But I will show you whom you should fear:  Fear Him who, after He has  killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!  Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins?  And not one of them is forgotten before God.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.   Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.  But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.  And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.  Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say.  For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." 

 Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."  But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?"  And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."  My study Bible comments that it was a custom for respected rabbis to arbitrate personal disputes.  But a dispute over an inheritance can be detrimental to salvation.  This greed is pure idolatry, my study Bible comments (Colossians 3:5) and unfitting for those who know God.  Notice how incompatible this question is with what Christ has just finished saying, in yesterday's reading, above. 

 

 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying:  "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.  And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'  So he said, 'I will do this:  I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."'  But God said to him, 'Fool!  This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'  So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."  My study Bible says that the question, "Whose will those things be which you hae provided?" is the key to understanding the saving up of material goods.  St. John Chrysostom writes that the only barns we need we already have:  "the stomachs of the poor."  St. Basil the Great taught that the bread in our cupboard belongs to the hungry man; the coat hanging unused belongs to the one who needs it; the shoes rotting in our closet belong to the one who has no shoes; and the money we hoard belongs to the poor.  St. Ambrose teaches, "The things which we cannot take with us are not ours.  Only virtue will be our companion when we die."  My study Bible says that even when Joseph stored up grain in Egypt (Genesis 41) it was for the benefit of the whole nation.  These teachings apply to parishes as well as to each person. 

Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."  Here my study Bible comments that Christ is warning against anxiety, not against thoughtful planning.  Our physical well-being is directly dependent upon God, it says, and only indirectly on food and clothing.  Anxiety over earthly things can demonstrate a lack of faith in God's care.  The nations of the world is a reference to the Gentiles, who served pagan idols, and remained consumed by dependence on earthly things.  My study Bible says that those who follow God can be freed from this dependence.   The kingdom of God is the central theme of Christ's teaching.  As we are freed from excess anxiety about earthly things, Christ guides us to look to how we please God (seek the kingdom of God) and be secure in the faith that God will provide our needed earthly blessings. 

What does it mean to seek the kingdom of God?  Christ has given us prescriptions, so to speak, in all of His teachings, about how to do that.  We are to pray, we are to seek God's righteousness.  We are to love God with all our hearts and minds and soul and strength -- and to love neighbor as oneself, extended that love through practice.  To dispute over an inheritance does not seem to indicate that one is seeking a righteous judgment but rather contesting something legitimately given out of greed and covetousness.  Let us think for a moment about what such disputes entail, the expense and effort and time, not to mention the family dynamics of such a circumstance.  This indicates that one has not sought God's will in such a dispute but rather values material wealth first over the kingdom of God.  We make such choices all the time; we are presented with such choices all the time -- and in today's passage, Jesus is clearly coming down firmly on the answer for us all.  We're to seek first the kingdom of God, in all things, and at all times.  This may seem difficult, if not impossible to do in a world obsessed with material goods and consumption.  It's exacerbated through modern conditions of comparison to others and being offered all kinds of goods through images, advertising, social media.  Social media often offers to us what we supposedly "should" be seeking in life, because everyone else does it, because all our friends do, or even family members.  But this is not where the Christian heart must be focusing.  These are all great distractions to seek something else and take our mind and our focus off of God, and Christ's teaching for us and for our lives.  There really is no compromise on this; Jesus teaches that we cannot serve both God and mammon.  We have to make a choice.  Note that Jesus does not say that we must live without blessings of a material kind -- what He does say is that we need to seek the kingdom of God.  He tells us that "your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."    Seeking the kingdom of God, therefore, applies to all times and circumstances.  We seek God's will through prayerful life, putting all things -- our troubles, concerns, worries, needs, and choices -- before God and seeking the discernment to find God's way.  Sometimes I have found that an important practice in life is seeking to give control up to God, to accept what comes with gratitude.  Regardless of circumstances, I find that letting go to God helps me with clarity and also with charity; sometimes those in need are brought to me with what God thinks I can offer, even if that's just a kind word or smile.  So often, we forget what blessings we really have to share; a focus on the purely material blinds us to the other things people need and desire for their hearts as well.  Let us seek that Kingdom and God's blessings, and we will find that we have so much more than we know.

Why do You speak to them in parables?

 

 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.  And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.  Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying:  "Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.  Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.  But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop:  some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"  He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.  Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.  And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,

And seeing you will see and not perceive;

For the hearts of this people have grown dull.

Their ears are hard of hearing,

And their eyes they have closed,

Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,

Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,

So that I should heal them.'

"But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; . . . "

 

- Matthew 13:1-16 

 

In our recent readings, the lectionary has been taking us through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7).  On Saturday, we read that Jesus taught, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.  Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.  Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." 

 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.  And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.  Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying:  "Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.  Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.  But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop:  some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  Today's reading skips forward in St. Matthew's Gospel, to chapter 13, in which Jesus introduces the concept of parables in His preaching.  In the setting of the Gospel, by this time in His ministry Jesus has garnered a wide following, so that great multitudes were gathered together to Him.  He sits, as if in an amphitheater by the sea, in a boat close to the shore, so that the people gather and listen to Him on shore.  The parable given today is the parable of the Sower.  This is a sort of "keystone" parable, the one with which Christ begins.  He introduces parables by introducing this one (and does so also in Mark 4 and Luke 8); it forms a kind of picture of His ministry.  Regarding parables themselves, my study Bible explains that metaphors of sowing and harvesting are common (Psalm 126:5, Jeremiah 31:27-30; Hosea 2:21-23; Joel 3:12-14), as these were a part of people's everyday lives.  Here, He reveals Himself as the promised Messiah, who is the sower in the earth, foretold in Isaiah 55:10-13.

And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"  He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  My study Bible tells us that the mysteries of the kingdom do not refer to simply obscure concepts or various religious truths only given to the elite; and neither is the understanding of the parables a simple intellectual process.  Even the disciples find them hard to understand.  My study Bible notes that while Jesus taught the same message to all, it is the simple and innocent who are open to its message. 

"Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.  And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull.  Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.'  But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; . . . "  Jesus quotes from Isaiah 6:9-10.  My study Bible explains that, according to St. John Chrysostom, Isaiah's prophecy does not mean that God causes spiritual blindness in people who would otherwise have been faithful.  This is, instead, to be understood as a figure of speech common to Scripture, which reveals God as giving people up to their own devices (as in Romans 1:24-26).   He has blinded means that God has permitted a self-chosen blindness (compare Exodus 8:15, 32 with Exodus 10:20, 27).  The people did not become blind because God spoke through Isaiah, but rather Isaiah spoke (as all prophecy works) because he foresaw their blindness.

Today's lectionary reading has skipped forward to chapter 13 because we are being prepared for the Feast of the Ascension, which takes place on Thursday for Churches of the West (and also for the Armenian Apostolic Church).  For the Eastern Orthodox, the date of Easter/Pascha is calculated differently; it was celebrated yesterday, meaning that Christ's Ascension will be celebrated on June 6.  We're being prepared for the Feast of the Ascension with readings that skip forward in the lectionary.  On Friday we'll return where we left off, in the final verses of the Sermon on the Mount.  Today and tomorrow the readings focus on the parable of the Sower.  In the reading that follows this one, we will read Christ's own explanation to the disciples for this parable.  But for today, let us focus on what we're given.  First, in the context of Christ's answer to the disciples, who wonder why He now speaks in parables, Jesus gives an explanation:  "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given"   Now this saying, while speaking of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, is in itself rather mysterious.  We need to look closely at His follow-up, as explanation:  "For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."   What Jesus is implying here has to do with our discipleship.  How far have they followed Him already?  What have they grasped of His teaching?  Have the disciples begun to understand the ways of the Kingdom, and His ways as they have lived with Him?  What Jesus implies is that those who truly seek a close communion of love with God will receive all the more.  But those who fail to engage their own capacity for understanding will receive none; in fact, without some initiative on the part of the learner, even what he has will be taken away from him.  It is with this teaching in mind that Christ quotes from Isaiah: "Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull.  Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them."  We need what Christ has to offer -- which in its entirety is the fullness of the love of God.  But without recognizing our own need, and making an effort to be a good student (a disciple, or "learner") we will make no progress in finding our own healing.  For true fulfillment of our identity as human beings, we need a communion with God, and what Christ has to offer us.  When we engage with our Lord, the mysteries that await are those things that will form and shape us, teach us who we are, give us identity within a family.  Regarding this family, it is important that we know the reading previous to this one in Matthew's Gospel is the one in which Christ declares, "For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother" (see Matthew 12:46-50).  Christ's love is always awaiting us, but it is we who must also make a positive effort to receive and take in that love which teaches us what and who we are, and in which we will need to repent and turn away from the things that cannot stand in that love.  This is the work of faith, the ground of the seeds the Sower must sow.

 

To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?

Modern icon of Jesus teaching the disciples the Parable of the Mustard Seed

 Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."

And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade." 

And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

- Mark 4:21-34

Yesterday we read that again Jesus began to teach by the sea.  And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.  Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:  "Listen!  Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.  Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.  And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.  But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."  And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.  And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.' "  And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?  How then will you understand all the parables?  The sower sows the word.  And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown.  When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.  These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time.  Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.  Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.  But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

  Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  My study bible says that this is a call to attentive listening and for discriminating response.  In yesterday's reading, Jesus began teaching in parables with the parable of the sower:  As the Sower Himself, Christ sows the word, and then what happens with that seed is dependent upon the fertility of the ground upon which it falls, and the conditions therein.  He referred to our capacity for spiritual hearing, saying, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  In this follow-up to that parable, He first promises that for those who truly desire spiritual understanding, "there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light."  Moreover, my study bible says, we must not only hear, but hear properly.  More will be given to those who respond to Christ with open hearts, and they will grow in understanding.  It quotes St. Mark the Ascetic, "Do the good you know, and what you do not know will be revealed to you."   Christ also implies the importance of choice; for those for whom this spiritual priority is unimportant, the life that Christ promises -- especially in the context of His Resurrection -- will not be manifest.  Our own desire for spiritual participation becomes the measure you use. 

And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."  My study bible notes that this parable occurs only in Mark.  The kingdom, it says, refers to the whole span of God's dispensation, or the plan of salvation.  The man is Christ, and the seed is the gospel (see verses 13-20).  His sleep indicates the death of Christ, from which He will rise.  That the man does not know how the seed grows, it says, shows that Christ doesn't manipulate our response to the gospel, but rather that each person is free -- to receive and let it grow in one's own heart.  The harvest is indicative of the Second Coming, when all will be judged on their reception of the gospel.

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."   The tiny mustard seed, in accordance with Theophylact's understanding, is like the disciples (whom Jesus has just chosen; see Monday's reading) who began as just a few individuals, but "soon encompassed the whole earth."  My study bible says the mustard seed also stands for faith entering a person's soul, which causes an inward growth of virtue.  This soul will become godlike, it says, and can even receive angels (the birds of the air who may nest under its shade).

 And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.  My study bible explains that to unbelievers, the parables remain bewildering.  But to those with simple faith, these stories which use common images reveal truth in ways they can grasp, as they were able.

To take all of these parables together is to gather together elements which make a marvelous understanding of the work of God in our lives, in us as individuals, and in the world.  The interpretations and understandings given by my study bible indicate traditional understanding passed on through the Church, and through generations -- literally millennia -- of experience and understanding of faith, particularly as gathered through monasteries, theologians, and saints, and their experience of our faith.  Therefore, this kind of traditional understanding is always valuable, as it is distilled through the experience of countless others who testify to it.  But there is always something striking in Christ's parables that applies to the present time, to our own personal experience, to things we may also know and consider through our own lives.  If we take a look at the parable that is unique to Mark, in addition to the traditional interpretation regarding the whole span of the work of the Kingdom, we are also given a picture of just how the Kingdom works, and this would apply even to its work within us.   That is, it works while we sleep:  it works within us whether we are consciously aware of its work or not, and despite the fact that we are not the ones who make it work.  The work of the Holy Spirit is mysterious to us, just as Christ described to Nicodemus when He compared it to the wind, saying, "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8).  The mysteries of God work even within us, and mysteriously to us, but as this unique parable found only in Mark describes it, suddenly "crops" or "fruits" are seemingly yielded by themselves and we notice them.  Suddenly we may find a kind of peace we didn't have before, or some wisdom that comes to us in the middle of a bad circumstance, or the capacity for forgiveness we didn't think we had and which surprises us.  These are fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).   They provide fruit for the spiritual harvest of the Kingdom.  The parable of the mustard seed is in some sense the most marvelous of all, for it describes something coming from the tiniest seed, and a mysterious growth that produces so much for all to see, including shelter for angels ("the birds of the air").  Jesus alludes to a kind of growth which is both mysterious in its process of generation, and also mysterious in its direction.  We don't know all the ways in which these products of growth will manifest, and continue to spread.  Moreover, if we reconsider the parable of the Sower from yesterday's reading (above), we note that Jesus described the harvest of the crop as "some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."  That is, this is not a "one size fits all" proposition.  Each life, each investment of that seed will produce different and varying results, which are unique from person to person, place to place, and depend upon a mosaic of conditions.   And looking more closely at these parables, we see that Jesus stresses that these fruits of the Spirit are not things we are entitled to, nor are they rights doled out as from a government or worldly body of laws.  Rather, they are organic things that work within us and with our own motivations and capacities, varying from individual to individual, for He says, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  Christ's parables address a deeply personal and intimate reality between ourselves and our Creator, and how we work and function within a communion that remains mysterious -- but these are mysteries into which we can delve and be given keys that unlock doors of spiritual reality, depending upon our own motivations and desires for that life.  Let us consider for today this time of Lent, which is created for us and instituted in the Church precisely for cultivating this capacity for spiritual hearing upon which Jesus places so much emphasis.  It is a time to cultivate the right ground for our fruitfulness, to set aside time to focus and to go to whatever place we need in order to do so.  We "remember God" by doing so:  by practicing the fasting capacities we have, by setting aside time for prayer, by making room to go more deeply into our individual "private rooms" and be alone with our mysterious God who not only sees what we do in secret and knows the secrets of our hearts, but who is in the secret place and sees in secret:  all of which teaches us about mystery.  Jesus says in today's reading that "there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light."  He tells us about entering into mystery, just as He taught the disciples, in interpreting the parable of the Sower, that "to you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.' "   Let us not be those who neglect our spiritual capacities to hear, our depth of potential for communion with God and the feeding of our souls.  Let us not be those who dismiss such things out of hand, or who do not care.  Let us be those who may hear and understand, and want more.   In the icon above, we see Jesus teaching to the disciples the parable of the Mustard Seed.  Standing in front, with his characteristic white hair, is St. Peter, the one whose confession of faith resulted in a new name given by Christ ("Rock"), and the declaration that, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 16:18-19).  He will journey into the world, spreading the seed of the word of Christ, bringing a harvest that is ongoing.  Let us remember him today, and seek to accompany him on his journey.

For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him

Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."

And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."

And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

- Mark 4:21-34

Yesterday we read that once again Jesus began to teach by the sea.  And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.  Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:  "Listen!  Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.  Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.  And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.  But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."  And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.  And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, "so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.'"  And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?  How then will you understand all the parables?  The sower sows the word.  And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown.  When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.  These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time.  Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.  Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.  But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.

Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."   My study bible calls these remarks by Christ a call to attentive listening and discriminating response.  It notes that we must not only hear, but also hear properly.  Additionally, it says, more will be given to those who respond with open hearts; they will grow in understanding.  Quoting from Mark the Ascetic, we're told, "Do the good you know, and what you do not know will be revealed to you."

 And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."  This parable is found only in Mark's Gospel.  My study bible explains that the kingdom refers here to the entire span of God's dispensation or plan of salvation.  The man is Christ, and the seed  he scatters is the gospel.  In this interpretation, my study bible adds that the man's sleep indicate's Christ's death, from which He will rise.  Furthermore, that the man does not know how the seed grows indicates that Christ doesn't manipulate our response to the gospel.  Rather each person is free to receive it and to let it grow in one's own heart.  A harvest is a frequent allusion to the Second Coming, when each will be judged on one's own reception of the gospel.

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."   My study bible cites the commentary of Theophylact here, who says that the mustard seed  represents the disciples.  They began as a small number, but "soon encompassed the whole earth."  Also, the image of growth stands for faith which enters a person's soul and causes an inward growth of virtue:  this soul can become godlike, and receive even angels.

And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.  My study bible points out that to unbelievers, the parables remain inscrutable.  But to those with simple faith, these stories which employ the use of common images reveal truth in ways they can perceive, as they are able.  We note also that in private, Jesus explained all things to His disciples.  We may consider this action in light of our own prayer lives, our private time alone with God who is in the secret place (Matthew 6:6), and the work of the Holy Spirit to enlighten our understanding through grace.

Why parables?  Again, as in yesterday's reading, we note that they are designed not to enlighten everyone, but rather to draw in those who truly want this light and truth that Christ offers to them, to us.  What is clear from Christ's stated intention in using parables to preach (see yesterday's reading, above) is that He doesn't expect that everybody is going to want what He's offering.  Not everybody is going to understand or stay with it.  Indeed, elsewhere He wonders if, at His Return, "when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8).  Moreover the parables deliberately have a quality of mystery or hiddenness about them.  Their truths are couched in images one has to hear or perceive in a certain way in order to be drawn into them and what they offer to us as pictures of the workings of this hidden Kingdom.  Jesus explains those mysteries of the Kingdom to His disciples in private, when they are alone.  In yesterday's reading, He explained to the disciples, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables . . .."  And this is directly linked to our capacity for spiritual sight and hearing, a heart which is opened to the mysteries of God and desires to participate in them, to be a part of them, to live this kingdom of heaven.   Often we get the impression that somehow the world has to be perfected, that everybody has to be a believer, that the proper environment for our faith is one in which there are no contradictions or dilemmas so that the gospel can fully live.  But this has never been the case, nor was Christ preaching with the expectation that it would be so until His own return, the Second Coming, at which time God's judgment would be rendered in effect -- and not our own efforts at some sort of perfection.  St. Peter writes, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8).  Jesus calls the devil the "prince" or "ruler of this world" (John 12:31, 14:30).  In Tuesday's reading, Jesus referred to the devil as the "strong man" who must be bound in order that He might plunder his house, meaning a prince or ruler who holds a kingdom.  If we wait for the world to be perfected in order that our faith might be truly lived, then we've got the short end of the stick.  Christ comes preaching into a world in which He expects hostility to the Kingdom He brings.  He expects hostility to the gospel message.  Certainly, by His statement wondering if, at His return, He would find faith on the earth, He indicates that this assumption was not meant simply for the early Church and its persecutions, or merely for His immediate followers.  The world remains a place of temptations to our faith, a place of hostility to it, even though the nominal challenges may have changed in form.  These days, most of us get our information about the world through social media, where image may be endlessly distorted so that it is impossible to know the full truth of an incident.  We need our faith to discern not only the time and what is going on around us, but in particular to govern over our responses to it.  Christ's gospel, it seems to me, has never been more important than at a time when fury seems to drive response, ratcheted up by deliberately extreme language, and expressions which make the most extreme mountains out of molehills.  Christ taught us to love our enemies:  He did not expect that we would do that in a world of perfectly receptive people.   But our communion made possible through His ministry was meant to teach us -- we who do wish to receive His message and reflect His light into the world -- how we are to love our enemies and live our lives.   Does love simply mean indulgence?  Does it mean saying a person is always right or approving of all they do?  Hardly (just ask the parent of a difficult and trouble-prone child).  Our parable-preaching Minister, the One who brings grace to us all, expects that we won't have an easy time of it -- just re-read the explanation He gives of His first, the parable of the Sower, to understand that (see above).  Rather, the faith He gives us was meant for struggle, in a world not perfectly receptive nor attuned to His teachings.  It is a light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not comprehend it (John 1:5).  Let us go forward and be that light as He commands, no matter what the darkness with which we may find ourselves surrounded.  He knows whatever we go through, for "even the very hairs of your head are all numbered" (Matthew 10:30, Luke 12:7).   We still are far from a perfectly syncretized world, in which we find no contradiction to our faith -- and so He understood.  Nevertheless, let us live our faith His way, as He did, and those who followed and sought His light.  "For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."

Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given

 Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."

Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."

And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the  harvest has come."

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."

And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

- Mark 4:21-34

Yesterday, we read that Jesus once again began to teach by the sea.  And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.  Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:  "Listen!  Behold, a sower went out to sow.  And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.  Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.  But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.  And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.  But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."  And He said to them, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.  And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that  'Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand;  Lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.'"  And He said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?  How then will you understand all the parables?  The sower sows the word.  And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown.  When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.  These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time.  Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.  Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.  But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit:  some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

Also He said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."   In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus uses these words to encourage His followers (in the Sermon on the Mount, see Matthew 5:14-16) to shine the light they are given into the world, to reflect the glory of God through their faith and the works it produces.  But here His teachings about light have yet another facet to them:  as the Light Himself, He is in the world to bring that light into the world for those who will receive it.  That light is His word, for those with "spiritual ears" to discern.  See yesterday's reading (above) for His reference to those who would hear, quoting Isaiah.  This is an encouragement to those who desire spiritual truth.  He is promising growth in their understanding, though He has begun to teach publicly in parables.

 Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  This teaching is connected to what He's just said.  My study bible names it a call to attentive listening and discriminating response.  A note reads, "We must not only hear, but hear properly.  More will be given to those who respond to Christ with open hearts; they will grow in understanding."  My study bible also quotes St. Mark the Ascetic:  "Do the good you know, and what you do not know will be revealed to you."

 And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the  harvest has come."  This parable is found only in Mark's Gospel.  The kingdom, says my study bible, refers to the whole span of God's dispensation or plan of salvation.  The man is Christ, and the seed is the gospel (see yesterday's reading, above, and the parable of the Sower).  The man's sleep indicates Christ's death, from which He will rise.  That the man does not know how the seed grows shows that Christ does not manipulate our response to the gospel, but rather each person is free to receive it and to let it grow in his own heart.  The harvest is the Second Coming, when all will be judged on their reception of the gospel.

Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."  According to Theophylact, the mustard seed and the leaven represent the disciples, who began as just a few men, but "soon encompassed the whole earth.  They also teach us about the nature of faith entering a person's soul, causing an inward growth of virtue.  This soul, says my study bible, will become godlike and can receive even angels.  Both these parables, and the one above, illustrate a mysterious growth process of grace that we do not control, but which nevertheless produces its results for us to see and know its work.

And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.  My study bible tells us that to unbelievers, the parables remain bewildering.  To those with simple faith, Christ's stories using common images reveal truth in ways they can grasp, as they were able.

What is this mysterious process of spiritual growth that Christ describes?  Why is it couched in the riddles of parables, and the hidden gems of meanings contained therein?  Why does He explain privately to His disciples but leave the public to wonder about the parables?  All of these questions are pertinent to the nature of this Kingdom itself.  A poetic irony, given that the parables are meant to illustrate the Kingdom, to draw those in who will want to learn more.  We're given two kinds of information in today's reading.  First Jesus teaches about illumination in the illustration of the lampstand.  The parables are meant to draw out our capacity for such truth, for this kind of enlightenment that He offers through His ministry of salvation.  Everything depends on our faith, our capacity to receive what He's offering.  Keep in mind that this follows His giving of the parable of the Sower.  The seeds He is sowing depend for their harvest on the ground upon which they're sown, what kind of root they can take up within us, and how they can survive the storms and difficulties of life, the cares with which the world will present us, the distractions and forgetfulness of life.  Secondly, the parables themselves in today's reading illustrate this mysterious process of growth that is unfathomable.  You can't watch it happen and you can't make it happen.  So much depends on a process that has its own pace and energy, its own power.  One can only see the "fruits" or the harvest.  My favorite parable is the story of the mustard seed:  a tiny golden seed sprouts up a sturdy great bush, one with so much to give that even the birds may nest in its branches -- a story of angels sent down and finding a home in the world.  This is a beautiful parable of the Kingdom, indeed, and the truths that Christ brings to us as they may nestle into our lives and we produce more harvest through our faith.  But the power of all this growth is contained in those seeds.  We are merely to do the work required for fertile ground:  patience, persistence, nurturing.  In such cultivation the discipline of attending worship service, participating in religious community, and our own practices (both corporate and private) of prayer and even fasting, reading Scripture and contemplating it prayerfully -- all these things go to the care of our souls and finding the fertile resting ground for the seeds and the mysterious process that is at work, if we but let it be, within us.   So where are you in this process?  How do you cultivate a receptive attention?  Jesus promises that where there is some that is received, more will be given.  We're given back in the measure with which we give.  This is a never-ending growth, the story of expansion and surprising results.  The branches that grow will shelter even the birds of the air, the harvest of beauty in the world, the grace of God's love and truth.

Therefore hear the parable of the sower

"Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."

- Matthew 13:18-23

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught (and His disciples) the parable of the Sower. In Matthew's Gospel, this is Jesus' introduction of parables to His preaching. In Hebrew and Aramaic, the word for parable may also mean "allegory," "riddle," or "proverb." In the parable of the Sower, Jesus taught that a sower went out to sow. Some seed fell by the wayside and the birds ate it up. Some seed fell on stony places. Immediately it sprang up plants, having very little soil, but then they were scorched by the sun, and withered away because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns and were choked by the thorns. "But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" His disciples asked Him why He spoke in parables, and He told them: "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand." In them, He said, the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled. "Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them."

"Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside." Jesus sets out the various "types" that are exemplified in the riddle or parable. The seed is the word of the kingdom, the good news of the gospel. What doesn't take root in the heart is that which is not understood, not received with spiritual eyes and ears. This becomes food for "the evil one" -- the one for whom it was not intended.

"But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles." Jesus has already repeatedly warned the disciples about persecution, that they must be strong in their faith, and courageous. Here, it's like He's giving a message to all of us: we will face such tests of our own faith, and if the word of the kingdom isn't really rooted very deeply within us, such difficulties will overwhelm our faith.

"Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful." Here's another way in which our faith becomes lost: by the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. The word Jesus uses for what these things do to us is "choke" us -- the thorns crowd it out so it cannot grow or produce. In the original Greek, the "cares of this world" reads "the cares of this age." It takes us back to the part of the Sermon on the Mount in which Jesus preached against unnecessary worry and anxiety -- an excessive focus on the material. See Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. It really depends upon the things we crowd our lives with, what we put first, and what we give room to grow -- where we put our focus.

"But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." We really go back to the emphasis in the Sermon on the Mount, the quality, care and protection of the life of the heart, our inner lives. Are we receptive? What do we put first? The good ground of the heart is that in which we are taking good care of our own spiritual health, sharpening our spiritual eyes and ears and making ourselves receptive to His word. In this good news of the kingdom we will always have room to grow: there must always be something new that we are producing, learning, understanding. The growth of this kingdom within ourselves and within our hearts and minds and lives is dynamic, not static. A good disciple, the message teaches us here, is one who grows in these mysteries and goes beyond the narrow gate, on a journey of faith, and produces good fruits, Christ's life in abundance.

I'd like to focus on this life of growth that Jesus clearly calls good discipleship, and the fertile soil of the heart -- the place where we receive the word, the seed He plants. How does that grow in you? How do you expect of yourself to go forward in your own understanding, and fruitfulness? Jesus is speaking to disciples who will go forward into the kingdom, to form the Church, to face terrible persecution and tribulation, and yet He has faith that at least some of them will go forward to produce abundant fruit, to yield great crops. Note the distinctions here: they are not all the same. Even in the places where the seed falls on good ground and is received in the heart will not all yield the same yield. Yet all are disciples -- and the discipleship He wants is those who will produce that yield. It is all tied to understanding and our own receptivity. What do we put first? What do we allow to crowd out this seed, this word? How deeply does it take root within us? We are all on a journey; the Sower sows and we reap. We are responsible for the good harvest possible where we tend to our inner lives, our own spiritual eyes and ears. We are not expected to hold this seed like a possession that we hide away somewhere, but to grow in it, and it to grow in us. How does it grow in you today? What are you doing to nurture your own capacity to receive mysteries of the kingdom?