Daily Mass Gospel Reflection - The Parable Puzzle

Word on Fire Ministry ^ | 7.21.22 | Bishop Robert Barron

[MurphsLaw]

SIXTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

MATTHEW 13:10–17

Friends, today in our Gospel, the disciples ask Jesus why he speaks to the crowds in parables.
Jesus is explaining the kingdom of God in these provocative and puzzling stories and images that seemed to be his preferred way of preaching.
And he replies to his disciples, “This is why I speak to them in parables,
because ‘they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.’”
In other words, because the crowds refused to believe in him and what he has to say.

Many parables are strange and initially off-putting and puzzling.
Of course, that is the point of parables: to bother us, throw us off base, confuse us a bit.
How characteristic this was of Jesus’ preaching!
He rarely lays things out in doctrinal form:
he prefers to tell these puzzling, funny stories.
Why?
Because in many cases, stories reveal truth that arguments can’t quite capture.

[MurphsLaw]

+++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 hearts 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.”+++

[Ezekiel]

Parables are simple analogies that bring abstract concepts right down to earth by way of real-world examples.

Of course, to those out of touch with the real world, parables are all a big mystery.

Some might receive a “mugged by reality” last chance option. I suppose it depends on how close God’s finger is to the reset button. I wonder if He’s switched to decaf.