Word to the Wise
Thursday, January 31, 2013 - Thursday in the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time
[Heb 10:19-25 and Mark 4:21-25]Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?......Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.
ST. JOHN BOSCO, SDB - priest
One of the distinctive characteristics of Jesus' teaching was his use of parables. These are images or situations from normal life that are used to make a single point about a truth. The Gospel of Mark is currently being read at daily liturgy and the portion we are in is more or less a collection of various parables that the author of the gospel had on hand. Yesterday the parable of the sower and the seed was given. Today an image of a lamp and a "measure" are given. Twice Jesus warns the audience to pay attention and hear what he is saying! The "lamp" is Jesus himself and the disciples should know that his light should be spread. The parable about the measure refers to love of neighbor and generosity!
The Gospel of Mark is the oldest, shortest and least "polished" of the four gospels. It has a kind of confrontational tone to it. Jesus challenges the disciples with his teachings which they do not always seem to understand. When they ask him to explain the parable of the sower and seed, he replies: "Do you not understand the parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?" Sadly, they only really understand once he has died and risen (as Mark tells the story). We, however, have the centuries of reflection and preaching about the parables that have gone before us. Their content and their effectiveness should challenge us to try our own hand at parables! Jesus' challenge rings in our ears: "Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear!" AMEN