Jesus also said, “In the kingdom of God it is like this: a man scatters seed upon the soil. Whether he is asleep or awake, be it day or night, the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The soil produces of itself; first, the blade; then, the ear; then the full grain in the ear. And when it is ripe for harvesting, they take the sickle for the cutting: the time for the harvest has come.” Jesus also said, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what shall we compare it? It is like a mustard seed which, when sown, is the smallest of all the seeds scattered upon the soil. But once sown, it grows up and becomes the largest of the plants in the garden; and even grows branches so big, that the birds of the air can take shelter in its shade.” Jesus used many such stories, in order to proclaim the word to them in a way that they would be able to understand. He would not teach them without parables; but privately, to his disciples, he explained everything. REFLECTION Many things can’t simply be explained easily. They defy the logical sequence of how things unfold; their processes do not follow the natural order; they cannot be quantified and therefore, they are confounding. It is no wonder Jesus used symbolic stories to illustrate what the Kingdom of God is. For these stories invite us to reflect, think further and churn them in our heads until its multitude of meanings emerge and bring us into greater insight and learning. For God’s reign is not meant to be understood at once but to be discovered through time, slowly, painstakingly, with patience. It is after all worth the wait and the effort.
Posted on: Fri, 31 Jan 2014 15:28:34 +0000
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