WHY DID HE SPEAK IN PARABLES?

HOMILY FOR THE 11^TH SUNDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR B

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

Parables are illustrations. And actually, in attempting a simple definition of it, one might say that parables are short stories for comparison or for an illustration of a point. It can be a method of teaching, especially in popular places. We know that stories and pictures help to easily get attention, and most persons think only in pictures, because it is certainly easier to remember pictures than principles. But there is a challenge, especially when a parable falls on an ignorant mind, or we may better put it this way, when it is not used well for the right teaching. A particular preacher was preaching to a group of catholic mothers. He said to them: the best time I ever had in my life is when I found myself on the laps of a woman. The women were expectedly surprised and embarrassed. But before they could express these surprises, he added quickly: my mother’s, of course. All the women laughed themselves to scorn in approval and appreciation.

However, another preacher tried to use this same illustration when preaching to another group of high-class society women in a commercial city. He said exactly the same as the first preacher, and the women felt also the same way the previous ones felt. But forgetting how he could end the illustration and trying to reply to the women’s surprises, he added: and I can no longer remember the exact one it was. You can imagine the end product of this. Nothing can be really mind boggling, frustrating and embarrassing when right parables/stories are told to the wrong audience or in a wrong way, or better still, when right illustrations are told people with different agenda.

Jesus is a perfect example of a teacher and preacher who was so renowned in his use of parables. We see two parables (the growth of the seed and the mustard seed) in the Gospel of today (Mark 4:26-34), which ended with the fact that Jesus would not speak to them except in parables. Well, we must recall that Mark 4 is the Gospel parallel of Matthew 13. In these chapters, we find many parables of Jesus and how he used them to illustrate truths about the kingdom of God. Now, going back to our title question and in an attempt to answer the question of why Jesus spoke in parables, we discover three categories of persons.

1. The first category concerns the person of Jesus. It is of course clear that Jesus spoke in parables to illustrate the word. And what is this word? It is the word of the kingdom of God (cf. Matt. 13:19-20). In teaching this word of God, he tried to use the language the people could easily understand. He employed images, places and experiences that were readily available to the people. He was not interested in showcasing his wealth of knowledge by using heavy vocabularies and sophisticated logic. And again, Jesus taught in parables most probably to teach step by step. In the different subjects and courses learnt in our schools, there are schemes of work which help the teachers to teach one topic after another for a clearer and more permeating message to the students. One can imagine how learning would be if things are not taught in schemes; if there is no curriculum. Hence, parables could be seen as avenues used by Jesus in taking one lesson about the kingdom of God after the other for a clearer perception. How often can we see ourselves like Jesus concerning the way we work hard by word and deed to make the message of God more homely, felt and understood by the people we minister to?

2. The second category concerns the ‘other’ people (scribes, Pharisees, and their likes) who are not faithful followers of Jesus. Jesus used parables so that in looking, they do not see, and in listening they do not hear (Matthew 13:13). This is because their minds are corrupt. They do not have the right disposition and intention to accept and act according to the word of God. This sort of people sees themselves as those who know it all. However, I find a little paradox here. Actually, parables are not meant for the lazy and non-thinking person, because it usually requires more thought to see the comparison between the story and the truth. And these other people are the intelligentsias of the society, who should actually understand the parables; and yet they do not. What is then wrong? Their hearts are heavy. Yes, their disposition is the problem. Their intention and purpose for listening to Jesus is the issue. The story itself is understandable to all, but the hidden spiritual truth was not available. Thus, they were blinded to see the truths in the parables of the Rabbi. How often do we see ourselves like these people who are blinded to understand Jesus because of their wrong intents? And how often do we work hard to delete those logs that could cause us to be ignorant of the message of the Master?

3. The third category concerns the disciples of Jesus. These are the ones close to Jesus and were ready to learn from him so as to be like him. But again, I find a little paradox here. Parables are for the wise that can understand and connect the story and the lesson. But the disciples were constantly caught in the web as Jesus spoke that he needed to explain further. Even at a point, Jesus had to ask them: do you not understand this parable? How will you understand any of the parables then? (Mark 4:13; cf. Matt. 16:9). Does it mean that the disciples were block heads? The Igbos of Nigeria would say: onye aturu ilu kowara ya, ego ejiri luo nne ya furu ohia (it is very embarrassing to explain an idiom to any man born of a woman).  This idiom is always used in a context when someone demands for an explanation of an idiomatic expression: If you wish to respect the integrity of your mother and her bride price, strive to be wise in understanding idioms and parables.

The apostles surely needed to know more secrets about the kingdom of heaven, and so they required more time and lessons (cf. Matt.13:11). They needed extra understanding for the mission that lay ahead of them. We probably know that there is more time and energy put into some ventures than some other ventures. For instance, one who studies Medicine and surgery requires more time, seriousness and energy than another who studies English Language. We can then say that Jesus used parables to force the apostles into more thinking and connections so as to acquire more tools for their mission. There ought to be private lessons to give special lessons to them. And they were always ready to get more explanations. How often does God call us closer to teach us and we give excuses? How often do we get more explanations, and yet act ignorant?

We must now attempt a brief explanation of both parables Jesus told us in the Gospel. The parable of the growing seed is an illustration of how the seed of faith grows even without the consciousness of how it grows. The point is that it must grow. Once the seed of faith is sown in us, Jesus promises us that it has to grow despite the knowledge or the effort of the planter. This is an encouragement to us all that God is in charge of his kingdom. So why should we despair when somebody or something we feel planted the faith is us suddenly becomes ‘unreachable’? There is an assurance here synonymous with what we see in the First Reading (Ezekiel 17:22-24) of a God who makes and fulfils his promises. As the Lord speaks, so he does.

The kingdom is of God and controlled by God. Its growth is not of man and may be gradual, but is sure and constant until the day when it is ready to be harvested. It is an encouragement to the persecuted churches/persons and to Christianity as a whole. Little wonder then St. Paul tells the Corinthians in the Second Reading (2 Cor. 5:6-10) that we remain courageous despite anything that militate against our togetherness with God. The kingdom of God is also compared with the smallest of seeds –the mustard. The seed of faith might be so small, but it has the potency to grow into the greatest of things as it serves to provide shelter for the people in need of it. It remains God’s wish that we continue to be part of his kingdom on earth for an easy access to the kingdom of heaven. Happy new week. God bless you.