Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?
Published Jul 21, 2022 12:06 am
REFLECTIONS TODAY
Jesus has just begun to tell a series of parables to his listeners. But right after the first one, the parable of the Sower, the disciples ask why Jesus speaks in parables. Why not use plain language so that they and other people will understand better?
Jesus explains that it is in accordance with the prophecy of Isaiah. There are listeners among them who are not entitled to know his message because they are not his disciples.
The disciples should rather rejoice because through the parables they come to know the mysteries of God’s Kingdom. Jesus will later explain the meaning of the first parable.
For us, Christians today, do we understand the meaning of the parables? Study and listen to your trained preachers. Maybe, without being aware of it, from our preachers we are hearing a lot of stories, true or otherwise invented, similar to the parables, to make their message interesting and stir up our imagination and generous response to God.
Gospel • Mt 13:10-17
The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?” He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see. Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and be converted and I heal them.
“But 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.”
Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” St. Pauls, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
Jesus has just begun to tell a series of parables to his listeners. But right after the first one, the parable of the Sower, the disciples ask why Jesus speaks in parables. Why not use plain language so that they and other people will understand better?
Jesus explains that it is in accordance with the prophecy of Isaiah. There are listeners among them who are not entitled to know his message because they are not his disciples.
The disciples should rather rejoice because through the parables they come to know the mysteries of God’s Kingdom. Jesus will later explain the meaning of the first parable.
For us, Christians today, do we understand the meaning of the parables? Study and listen to your trained preachers. Maybe, without being aware of it, from our preachers we are hearing a lot of stories, true or otherwise invented, similar to the parables, to make their message interesting and stir up our imagination and generous response to God.
Gospel • Mt 13:10-17
The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?” He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see. Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and be converted and I heal them.
“But 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.”
Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” St. Pauls, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.