Thursday - 16th Week in Ordinary Time   revisited

Gospel – Matthew 13:10-17

Let Me Tell You a Story!

Town of Magdala

My very first semester of teaching was a complete disaster. I knew all the material, I had all the training and preparation I needed, I was prepared – or so I thought!  Nothing worked!  I presented the notes but all I got back was a classroom full of blank stares.  There was no engagement; it was like we were on 2 different levels or speaking two different languages.  And that, in the end, was completely true.  I was teaching the material at them but not to them!  I realized I needed to speak to them where THEY were at, not at a level where I was at!  And so I began to weave in stories to make my point, to throw out some corny jokes or stunts to catch their attention. Go figure – it worked for 40 years!

Every time we read the Gospel, it seems as if Jesus is always being followed by an immense crowd.  Whenever He speaks, the crowd is there hanging on His every word.  How did that happen? Why would anybody sit for hours in the blazing heat of Israel just to listen to someone speak.  We all know the answer – Jesus spoke in parables!  He shared His message of hope, of love and forgiveness in stories!   And not just any stories, but stories His audience could relate to, could identify with.  These were ordinary salt of the earth people with simple lives and occupations.  So Jesus told stories about farmers, and fishermen, about fathers and sons, about weddings and disagreements, about baking and sharing a meal.  He KNEW HIS AUDIENCE! He spoke to them where they were at, not where He wanted them to be!

But He did something more – He always added a twist to His parables, a surprise ending, something to make sure they were listening, something to make them stop and think!  Nobody leaves 99 sheep to go off just to find 1 lost sheep.  No one throws a party for a son who has squandered his inheritance and wished his father were dead.  No one sells everything they have just to buy a pearl. 

That is why in today’s Gospel He tells the Pharisees that they see but don’t understand, they hear but don’t really listen.  The mysteries of the Kingdom have been revealed to the disciples and they will understand with their hearts and be converted.  Jesus continues to speak to us today through these simple (not so much) stories.  We need only to open, not just our ears and our eyes to His words, but our hearts as well!

Great Spirit, you whisper to me every day.  Help me to calm my fears, to open my eyes and to listen with my heart to your words of peace and solace.  Aho!

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