Our Sabbath Scripture Stories – 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle A

Read or listen to this Sunday’s Mass readings here.

  • Isaiah 55:10-11
  • Romans 8:18-23
  • Matthew 13:1-23

On this bright Sunday morning, Mom looked out at her window box.  The family vacation had left some of the flowers looking pretty rough.  Weeds were invading the tulips, and the pansies were being overcrowded by the marigolds.    The petunias hadn’t even come up, yet the geraniums were more than hardy.

“Oh, the wonders of gardening!”  Mom sighed.

Just then Mom looked at the clock.  “Family, time to gather before Mass!”  In pure obedience and joy, all the Paulines appeared in the living room. 

As he had done for years and years, Dad opened his Bible to read the Scripture for this Sunday.  It always gave the kids a “heads up” on the Sunday’s Gospel.

Lucy was the first to speak up when Dad finished.  “Jesus always talked that way, didn’t He, Dad?!”

“Like what, Lucy?” Dad asked his daughter. 

“The parable word!”  Lucy responded.   “Jesus liked to talk in parables!”

“Exactly right!”  Dad answered.  “And why do you think He did that?”

“I think that it’s to explain something that isn’t easy to understand,” Mary Clare offered.  “Is that right?”

“Right on, Mary Clare!”  Dad answered.  “Jesus used parables to teach us, not to mislead us.  And in the next few weeks, we will be hearing many of Jesus’ parables.  They are grouped in the Bible as The Parables of the Kingdom.”

“What does that mean, Daddy?” Lucy asked.

“Well, Lucy,” Dad explained, “these parables all have similar content, and they all have the same setting.  Jesus taught them along the banks of Lake Gennesaret.  People came from all over to listen to these parables.”

“That’s right!”  Mom agreed.  “Jesus used parables to light and guide the people.  There aim was … to tell … to teach … and to show something.”

“Why couldn’t Jesus just tell the people directly?”  Vincent wondered.  “What would be wrong with that?”

“Good question, Vincent!”  Dad said.  “One reason is that a parable speaks to all hearts at all levels.  The educated and the uneducated can understand them.”

Then Mom added, “And another reason is that when you speak too directly, people may dismiss it immediately.  It’s like looking directly at the sun.  If you look directly at the sun, you are blinded and can’t see anything.  But if you look through soft clouds and shadings, the vision of the sun is clearer.  You see?”

“Hey, Mom!”  Vincent yelped.  “Wasn’t that a parable?”

Laughing, Mom said, “Well, I guess it was, Vincent!”

Then Mom added, “And Jesus talked this morning about the plants sown in no soil, in thin soil, in thorny soil, and in rich soil.  And I have a perfect parallel for that!”

“You do?”  Lucy wondered.

“Sure, my window box!”  Mom replied.  “Some of my flowers are doing well, but others aren’t thriving at all!”

“So how is that a parable, Mom?”  Vincent asked.  “How are people like those flowers?”

“Great question, Vincent!”  Mom said.  “People who plant themselves in the Word of God, or in the rich soil, will thrive.  The others have some big problems!”

Vincent started play acting.  Cupping his hands around his face, he started to sway.  “I’ve always wanted to be a geranium, or even a daffodil!” he laughed.

“Vincent, what you are is a treasure!”  Dad told him, smiling broadly.

“Like a box … filled with gold … full of riches … having sparkle?”  Vincent quipped.   I’m a parable, too?”

And the quaking family could only hope to bottle his enthusiasm!

Would you prefer a print a copy of this story?

Cycle A, 15 OT, SSSDownload

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