WHY SPEAK IN PARABLES?

WHY SPEAK IN PARABLES?

Mark 4:33-34

With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything. (NIVUK)

It sometimes seems strange that Jesus did not make His message transparently clear to all the crowds.  But He was not trying to gain a following.  Indeed, the more He taught, He seemed less like a popularist leader who would meet their needs, than a Man on a mission from God – following Him could demand too great a price (John 6:60-66) .  But some did keep on following Him: the disciples who were being equipped to be apostles.  Although many ordinary people benefitted from His kindness and powerful miracles, it was the trainee apostles who stored up what Jesus did and said for their job of leading and teaching the church.  Under the Holy Spirit's guidance, their experiences with Jesus shaped the 'Apostles teaching' (Acts 2:42) which is the source of all true doctrine.   True learning comes from an enquiring mind and a willing heart.  Jesus' parables and miracles caused the disciples to think and ask questions (John 16:17-18) .  There were riddles to be answered, and pictures to be explained.  Illustrations help us learn. Without prior experience, we can only understand something by reference to something we know.  The parables provided that link - between the rural economy of His hearers, and the Kingdom, which was home to Jesus.  Each parable usually only paints a small part of the picture - but enough for people to have their desire for God's truth stirred.  And Jesus did not make it complicated.  When God talks to people, He talks personally.  Although the seed of God's Word is broadcast, the Lord knows where each Word goes; each has a specific target.  He does not lecture us three grades higher than our capacity, but feeds His Word to us, as much as we can understand (1 Peter 2:2).  Of course, Jesus intended that the disciples would learn more: so He amplified the parable stories in private, and explained their eternal meaning to His trainee apostles. In almost three years, the disciples were taught the 'secrets of the kingdom' - as much as they could understand at the time – leaving the Holy Spirit to complete their training after Pentecost (John 14:26).  Sometimes the Lord properly chided their refusal to apply what they had heard (Matthew 17:17) .  Their privilege, like ours, was to spend time alone with Him - time to reflect and ask questions, time to get to the root of God's answers (Luke 10:38-42).  Private time with the Lord is the commodity most likely to be squeezed in our busy lives - but without it, our understanding of the most important business ever, will be defective... and so will we.

Dear Lord. Thank You for Your amazing knowledge of how much I can understand. Forgive me when I am slow to connect with what You are saying or when I disregard the importance of embedding Your Word in my heart. Please give me a greater appetite to understand Your Word and to spend time alone with You. Help me to recognise those who are spiritually hungry, and feed them appropriately, and encourage them to speak with You privately. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

SECOND SUNDAY Year "C"

Mary at the Wedding at Cana

Sunday, Jan. 20, is the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Mass Readings: Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 96: 1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; John 2:1-11.

The Gospel this week, focusing on the Wedding at Cana, is important for many reasons: the attentive intercession of Our Lady, the elevation of marriage to a sacrament, and the creation of new wine — the best wine — with a single command from Jesus as the first public miracle. 

Mary’s prominence in this Gospel holds great weight. The words of Jesus to his Mother may sound harsh at first: “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.”  When taken in the context of the whole of Scripture, however, they have many profound implications, one of which is his very deliberate use of the address “Woman.”

He refers to the Woman at the beginning and the end of Revelation, the Woman foretold in Genesis to crush the head of the serpent and the Woman of Revelation clothed with the sun who brings forth a male child to rule the nations, to the fury of the dragon. This is precisely the Woman Jesus speaks to now. It will be her words that begin his public mission: When she says “they have no wine,” she is the one who is the first intercessor; and as such, she will determine the hour. She intercedes her Son into public life, a life in which she will accompany him. This will very much be their hour. Mary, who brought him into the world, will journey with him even unto his death, sharing in his sacrifice far beyond any other human being and therefore participating in our salvation so profoundly that she would come to be called Co-Redemptrix.

The Woman who brought her young son back from the Temple when he was 12 years old, who indicated then, in effect, that it was not the time yet, now throws open the doors to the proclamation of the Gospel, the great work of Jesus, to reveal the glory and love of the Father and walks through them with her Son. And from that point on, every step will lead them closer to the cross: the hour ordained from all of time for our salvation.

What is also amazing is that we, too, are invited to participate in this marvellous work of redemption. For this purpose we are given gifts meant specifically for the building up of the Body of Christ. These are the spiritual gifts Paul refers to in the second reading: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, mighty deeds, prophecy, discernment and tongues — gifts bestowed on us in baptism that are meant to be given away. Gifts by which the Holy Spirit, with our cooperation, lives and moves and breathes in the world, renewing it continuously. 

It is a glorious thing to be a sharer in the work of Christ to restore creation under his headship, to discover the unique charisms God has endowed us with for the sake of the Kingdom and to give our “Yes” to the particular way we are called to serve. It is in those moments of collaboration with Christ, when we are using our gifts, that we will feel most alive and see even our small and hidden actions bear the most fruit in the lives of others. In this way we begin to make him known to a world desperately seeking the life of Christ, like the disciples in the Gospel passage who saw his glory and “began to believe in him.”

May we ask Mary to make this our “hour” too, our time to embrace our call to be apostles to the world and to use our Spirit-given gifts for his glory and our salvation.

SOWER PARABLE: STRANGLEHOLD OF WORRIES

THE STRANGLEHOLD OF WORLDLY WORRIES

Mark 4:7 & 18-19

Mark 4:7 & 18-19 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 18-19 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. (NIVUK)

Read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: in English, and many other languages

These verses describe, in the parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-20) , a third soil-type into which God's Word may be sown.  It is full of thorn bushes.  This is a picture of people who have a desire for God and an interest in what Jesus has to say, but seem to be overwhelmed with the pressures of living in a troubled world.  It is as though their hearts are being asphyxiated.  Choking is not pleasant, but worse, it can be fatal.  As God's Word springs up taking root in our heart, worries can easily put a stranglehold around our relationship with Jesus.  Often, Satan does not have to intervene personally - there is quite enough in our confused and hectic lifestyle to put us off our spiritual stroke.  We hear the Word and may relish it; we agree with what God says... and then our minds and hearts get swamped by worries, and Jesus seems far away (Luke 24:34-36). Jesus categorises these troubles into unresolved lifestyle issues, concern over money, and frustrated ambitions. Everybody has at least one of these to contend with, most have all three!  Have you noticed how easily relationship problems or issues at home can erode your concentration at work, and vice versa?  The same is true of working with Christ and letting Him work on us.  But there is no way we can live in a spiritually sealed world.  The key question is whether we will allow the world and flesh to choke the life of Jesus... or allow the life of Jesus to order our chaotic private and work lives (1 John 2:15-16). In the parable, Jesus describes the end result of a choked spiritual life.  It is unproductive.  It cannot multiply grace, bring others to know Jesus, or glorify the God who has made these people.  They may be religious and might live morally but God's Word does not manage their minds nor fill their hearts.  They may think that they are OK with God but because His Word has no space to rule their lives, they are working against Him (Philippians 3:17-19). The answer to the question, 'Is this true of me; am I allowing God's Word to be choked in my life?', is tested by the degree to which the Word of God bears fruit in us.  When we see the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) shaping the way we conduct our business and interactions with others; when we find ourselves glad to share about Jesus and when others are strengthened in Christ because of us; when our friends ask us to pray for them and we see them transformed by His power - then we know that we are being fruitful.  When that is not true, the world and our fleshly nature have colluded to take control away from Jesus: we are being choked.  In that case, gardening is well overdue!  But what about those who have yet to believe and are being bombarded by squadrons of problems.  Focussed one-to-one time with them, reading the Bible and praying on a regular basis, may give them the encouragement to see their lives through the lens of God's Word instead of their pressurised minds and confused feelings (Philippians 4:4-9).

Gracious God. Thank You that the Bible puts the world into perspective. Help me to give priority to having time to read Your Word, meditate and pray. Forgive me when I allow worry to push You out. Help me to talk to You about the worries so that You can produce order out of chaos. And help me to be aware of others who are being choked and give me the wisdom to know how to help them in Your love. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

BAPTISM Blessed Cardinal Newman

Thoughts on Baptism

Bl. John Henry Newman

SUNDAY, JANUARY 13, 2019

“Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.” John iii. 5.

None can be saved, unless the blood of Christ, the Immaculate Lamb of God, be imputed to him; and it is His gracious will that it should be imputed to us, one by one, by means of outward and visible signs, or what are called Sacraments. These visible rites represent to us the heavenly truth, and convey what they represent. The baptismal washing betokens the cleansing of the soul from sin; the elements of bread and wine are figures of what is present but not seen, “the body and blood of Christ, which are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lord’s Supper.”

So far the two Sacraments agree; yet there is this important difference in their use, that Baptism is but once administered, but the Lord’s Supper is to be received continually. Our Lord Christ told the Apostles to baptize at the time that they made men His disciples. Baptism admitted them to His favor once for all; but the Lord’s Supper keeps us and secures us in His favor day by day. He said, “This do, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Here, then, a question at once arises, which it is important to consider: At what time in our life are we to be baptized, or made disciples of Christ? The first Christians of course were baptized when they were come to a full age, because then the Gospel was for the first time preached to them; they had no means of being baptized when young. But the case is different with those who are born of Christian parents; so the question now is, at what age are the sons of Christians to be baptized?

Now, for fifteen hundred years there was no dispute or difficulty in answering this question all over the Christian world; none who acknowledged the duty of baptizing at all, but administered the rite to infants, as we do at present. But about three hundred years ago strange opinions were set afloat, and sects arose, doing every thing which had not been done before, and undoing every thing which had been done before, and all this (as they professed) on the principle that it was every one’s duty to judge and act for himself; and among these new sects there was one which maintained that Infant Baptism was a mistake, and that, mainly upon this short argument, that it was nowhere commanded in Scripture.

Let us, then, consider this subject: and first, it is but fair and right to acknowledge at once that Scripture does not bid us baptize children. This, however, is no very serious admission; for Scripture does not name any time at all for Baptism; yet it orders us to be baptized at some age or other. It is plain, then, whatever age we fix upon, we shall be going beyond the letter of Scripture. This may or may not be a difficulty, but it cannot be avoided: it is not a difficulty of our making. God has so willed it. He has kept silence, and doubtless with good reason; and surely we must try to do our part and to find out what He would have us do, according to the light, be it greater or less, which He has vouchsafed to us.

Is it any new thing that it should take time and thought to find out accurately what our duty is? Is it a new thing that the full and perfect truth should not lie on the very surface of things, in the bare letter of Scripture? Far from it. Those who strive to enter into life, these alone find the strait gate which leads thereto. . . .it does not at all follow, even if it were difficult to find out at what age Baptism should be administered, that therefore one time is as good as another. Difficulty is the very attendant upon great blessings, not on things indifferent. . . .

Scripture has not undertaken to tell us every thing, but merely to give us the means of finding every thing; and thus much we can conclude on the subject before us, that if it is important, there are means of determining it; but we cannot infer, either that it must actually be commanded in the letter of Scripture, or that it can be found out by every individual for and by himself. . . .

I say it is not difficult to see, as the Church has ever been led to see, that God would have us baptize young children, and that to delay Baptism is to delay a great benefit, and is hazarding a child’s salvation. There is no difficulty, if men are not resolved to make one.

Let us consider, first, what is Baptism? It is a means and pledge of God’s mercy, pardon, acceptance of us for Christ’s sake; it gives us grace to change our natures. Now, surely infants, as being born in sin, have most abundant needof God’s mercy and grace: this cannot be doubted. . . .If, indeed, Baptism were merely or principally ouract, then perhaps the case would be altered. But it is not an act of ours so much as of God’s; a pledge from Him. And, I repeat, infants, as being by nature under God’s wrath, having no elements of spiritual life in them, being corrupt and sinful, are surely, in a singular manner, objects of Baptism as far as the question of desirableness is concerned. . . .

Will it be said that infants are not properly qualified for Baptism? How is this an objection? Consider the text. “Except one be born of water and the Spirit,” says our Lord, “he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” There is nothing said about qualifications or conditions here which might exclude infants from Baptism, nothing about the necessity of previous faith, or previous good works, in order to fit us for the mercy of God. Nor indeed could any thing be said. Christ knew that, without His grace, man’s nature could not bear any good fruit, for from above is every good gift. . . .To defer Baptism till persons actually have repentance and faith, is refusing to give medicine till a patient begins to get well. It would be hard indeed, if Satan be allowed to have access to the soul from infancy, as soon as it begins to think, and we refuse to do what we can, or what promises well, towards gaining for it the protection of God against the Tempter. . . .

*

But, in fact, we are not, strictly speaking, left without positive encouragement to bring infants near to Him. We are not merely left to infer generally the propriety of Infant Baptism; Christ has shown us His willingnessto receive children. Some men have said (indeed most of us perhaps in seasons of unbelief have been tempted in our hearts to ask), “What good can Baptism do senseless children? you might as well baptize things without life; they sleep or even struggle during the ceremony, and interrupt it; it is a mere superstition.” This, my brethren, is the language of the world, whoever uses it. It is putting sight against faith. If we are assured that Baptism has been blessed by Christ, as the rite of admittance into His Church, we have nothing to do with those outward appearances. . . .

I would reply by citing our Savior’s “own word and deed.” We find that infants were brought to Christ; and His disciples seem to have doubted, in the same spirit of unbelief, what could be the good of bringing helpless and senseless children to the Savior of men. They doubtless thought that His time would be better employed in teaching them, than in attending to children; that it was interfering with His usefulness. “But when Jesus saw it, He was much displeased.” [Mark x. 14.] These are remarkable words: “much displeased,” that is, He was uneasy, indignant, angry (as the Greek word may be more literally translated); and we are told, “He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them.” Christ, then, can bless infants, in spite of their being to all appearance as yet incapable of thought or feeling. He can, and did, bless them; and, in the very sense in which they then were blessed, we believe they are capable of a blessing in Baptism.

And we may add this consideration. It is certain that children ought to be instructed in religious truth, as they can bear it, from the very first dawn of reason; clearly, they are not to be left without a Christian training till they arrive at years of maturity. Now, let it be observed, Christ seems distinctly to connect teaching with Baptism, as if He intended to convey through it a blessing upon teaching, “Go ye and teach all the nations, baptizing them.” If children, then, are to be considered as under teaching, as learners in the school of Christ, surely they should be admitted into that school by Baptism.

These are the reasons for Infant Baptism which strike the mind, even on the first consideration of the subject; and in the absence of express information from Scripture, they are (as far as they go) satisfactory. At what age should we be baptized? I answer, in childhood; because all children require Divine pardon and grace (as our Savior Himself implies), all are capable of His blessing (as His action shows), all are invited to His blessing, and Baptism is a pledge from Him of His favor, as His Apostles frequently declare. . . .

To conclude. Let me beg of all who hear me, and who wish to serve God, to remember, in their ordinary prayers, their habitual thoughts, the daily business of life, that they were once baptized. If Baptism be merely a ceremony, to be observed indeed, but then at once forgotten, a decent form, which it would neither be creditable, nor for temporal reasons expedient to neglect, it is most surely no subject for a Christian minister to speak of; Christ’s religion has no fellowship with bare forms, and nowhere encourages mere outward observances.

If, indeed, there be any who degrade Baptism into a mere ceremony, which has in it no spiritual promise, let such men look to it for themselves, and defend their practice of baptizing infants as they can. But for me, my brethren, I would put it before you as a true and plain pledge, without reserve, of God’s grace given to the souls of those who receive it; not a mere form, but a real means and instrument of blessing verily and indeed received; and, as being such, I warn you to remember what a talent has been committed to you. There are very many persons who do not think of Baptism in this religious point of view; who are in no sense in the habit of blessing God for it, and praying Him for His further grace to profit by the privileges given them in it; who, when even they pray for grace, do not ground their hope of being heard and answered, on the promise of blessing in Baptism made to them; above all, who do not fear to sin after Baptism. This is of course an omission; in many cases it is a sin. Let us set ourselves right in this respect. Nothing will remind us more forcibly both of our advantages and of our duties; for from the very nature of our minds outward signs are especially calculated (if rightly used) to strike, to affect, to subdue, to change them.

Blessed is he who makes the most of the privileges given him, who takes them for a light to his feet and a lanthorn to his path. We have had the Sign of the Cross set on us in infancy, shall we ever forget it? It is our profession. We had the water poured on us, it was like the blood on the door-posts, when the destroying Angel passed over. Let us fear to sin after grace given, lest a worse thing come upon us. Let us aim at learning these two great truths: that we can do nothing good without God’s grace, yet that we can sin against that grace; and thus that the great gift may be made the cause, on the one hand, of our gaining eternal life, and the occasion to us, on the other, of eternal misery. – from Parochial and Plain Sermons 7, no. 16.

WORDS DEFINE PICTURES

WORDS DEFINE PICTURES

Mark 4:1-2

Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered round him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said…

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words.  Many possible interpretations can be invented to describe a scene.  Although the artist has constructed the image, it is the viewers who are in control of the meaning to them … through previous experiences and associations.  Many people think like that about faith.  They like to be able to construe mystical images and rituals in their own way so that they 'own' or feel comfortable with a philosophy which suits themselves.  Many take that route to avoid submitting to the Saviour, not caring that they will have no defence against God's wrath when Jesus returns (2 Thessalonians 1:8-10) .  That includes those who started trusting in Christ but have either added to, or subtracted from, the gospel to suit what they want to think (Luke 8:11-15).

Although Jesus did many miracles, they could never, by themselves, be His story.  They could not define the reason for His presence on earth nor adequately explain His death, resurrection, ascension or future return in glory.  The miracles displayed His power and authority over demons, sickness and nature; the teaching explained why He had the authority and how people could be included in His eternal family.  In the previous chapter, religious experts wrongly thought that Satan was the source of His power (Mark 3:20-22) - so even His miracles could not describe Jesus, nor bring them to faith (John 12:37) .  Despite all the miracles even His own half-brothers did not believe in Him (John 7:5), and His disciples did not understand properly until after the resurrection (John 12:16).

It was never enough for Jesus to do miracles; it was only through His teaching that the crowd could understand the 'reason to believe' in Him.  The messages (including parables) had three great defining purposes. First, He was recognised as speaking with authority. Secondly, He did not just say what was right, but He was the only person who always did what was right - the only righteous person who could legitimately invite personal faith.  Thirdly, His teaching explained why and how we must follow Him.  The crowds wanted to see and hear: the disciples needed to be taught. It was the 12 picked men who were to play such a special role after Christ's travelling ministry - Judas to betray and disappear, and the 11 others to be filled with the Spirit and lead the church after Pentecost.

Truth must be taught in words.  That is why the Bible was written, so that we might be quite sure what God means.  The gospel [good news] must be communicated in words.  We can never 'show' the gospel: we can show people the effect of the gospel in our lives, but unless we explain why we behave as we do they cannot believe and be saved (Romans 10:14).  Clear definition requires a verbal explanation.  Bible teaching is critical to the growth of the church.   But many still prefer not to accept what God has said; instead they make up what they think and share that with others to the downfall of all (Galatians 1:6-9) .  Let Jesus, the Word of God, be your teacher, let the Bible be your text and let the Holy Spirit help you to do what God has said.  Then you can share it with others.

Father in Heaven. Thank You for wanting to instruct me. Forgive me for wanting to invent a gospel which suits me but blasphemes You. Help me to eagerly learn from Your Word and have the courage to share it with others. In Jesus' Name. Amen.