Mt 13:36-43 Truth Through Parables
“The disciples approached Jesus and said, ‘Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
Why did the Lord love to speak in parables? Why not make things so much clearer?
A beautiful and well thought out explanation may be found in a new study bible published by Ignatius Press and with commentary by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch.
First of all, parables are a spoken literary “comparison” between two things for illustration. Jesus uses parables in the New Testament for two purposes: to reveal and to conceal divine mysteries. (1) Parables invite the humble to reach behind the images and lay hold of God’s truth. Parables sketch out earthly scenarios that reveal heavenly mysteries. (2) Conversely, they obstruct the proud and conceal divine mysteries from the unworthy…Jesus speaks in parables for the benefit of the faithful and the judgment of unbelievers.
Christ spoke openly at the beginning of his ministry. He then switched to parables when he began to be persecuted. Humble people reflect quickly. Arrogant people react quickly! They leave no time or space in considering another’s point of view. In many ways they are like weeds, they grow and spread quickly without considering where the wheat stands. They seek to suffocate. They muse themselves through numbers, “I know I’m right because so many others support me.”
In an exceptional move, the Vatican has recalled its nuncio to Ireland so that he could participate in meetings aimed at drafting a formal response to an Irish government report on clerical sex abuse. After centuries of friendship; after centuries of standing alone with Ireland during its brutal occupancy and treatment under English rule; and after the current left-wing Irish Prime Minister, Enda Kenny, threw a virile barrage of hatred toward the Holy See, the Vatican has decided to defend herself. Just a few days ago, in a charismatic speech to the nation, the Prime Minister accused the Holy See of dysfunction, disconnection, elitism and narcissism.
We all know that Ireland is facing a financial crisis that could topple the government any day. So I guess we are to assume that the failed Irish government, along with its PM, is above dysfunction, disconnection, elitism and narcissism. What we are witnessing is an historical event; that is, we are seeing something we have seen before, and it has the name scapegoat!
The Vatican will respond, and its response will be far more cultured, civilized and accurate than the inflammatory rhetoric of a pride-filled Prime Minister to his indebted nation. This man is simply stroking the flames of hate away from himself (and government) and towards a sacrificial lamb or goat. His plan is simple, “Let’s burn the goat, before it can speak out.” Hopefully, the Irish people are a bit smarter than that.
Now for some good news…
Recently discovered documents show that Pope Pius XII, the wartime Pontiff during the 1940’s was directly responsible for bringing an end to the arrests of thousands of Jews in 1943. In a statement for Pave the Way Foundation, Gary Krupp, a Jew, announced the recent findings:
“Many have criticized Pius XII for remaining ‘silent’ during the arrest and when trains left Rome containing 1,007 Jews who were sent to the death camp Auschwitz. The critics also do not acknowledge Pius XII’s direct intervention to end the arrests of Oct. 16th, 1943.”
“New discoveries prove that Pius XII acted directly behind the scenes to end the arrests at 2:00 pm, on the very day they began, but who was powerless to stop the ill-fated train.”
In 1943, there were approximately 12,428 Jews in Rome. “Pope Pius XII’s direct action saved the lives of over 11,400 Jews.”
How would Jesus describe these recent events? He would probably describe them with the following parable, “The Church of God may be likened to a lamb led to slaughter.”
