Tag: Parables

26th July 2026

Reflection with readings below

I do realise that my reflections may be deemed to minimalise or skip over tough words that are presented to us in the Gospels. But there are some which I feel cannot be taken at their face value as they run counter to the overriding gospel message that God loves us unceasingly and unconditionally, that everything that God has created is good, is blessed and is of value – and therefore God will not hate nor destroy. 

Indeed in the letter to the Romans, we have the famous words of Paul: “that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

What the scriptures do reveal is how easily we humans can make mistakes, how easily we can separate ourselves from God’s wisdom – ie that which we find in God’s word,  God’s law and in studying the Book of Nature. When we ignore this wisdom and pursue a different path – often one that seeks self gratification rather than the common good (and here we should remember common includes human and non human interests) –  then suffering and destruction ensues.

The need for God’s wisdom is clearly articulated in today’s readings. It is God’s wisdom that will embed God’s kingdom here in earth as in heaven. In today’s gospel Jesus gives us a series of images or metaphors by which to imagine the kingdom of heaven. The first four delight our imagination.

The kingdom of heaven is something that will grow beyond our expectations! It will become home to more than we can imagine. 

In the kingdom of heaven small things cause huge changes.

The kingdom of heaven once encountered will become our heart’s desire.

The kingdom of heaven is beyond value.

But the fifth parable, that of the net cast into the sea? How do we make sense of it? 

Parables do not have a fixed meaning, but rather niggle at our thought processes time and again, often challenging our traditional view points. Is the kingdom of God the net or the sea? That’s one ambiguity! If the latter, then why the net and vice versa? What do the fish represent?

Does this parable mirror that of the parable of the wheat and tares? Might the sea, like the field, be the space where ‘good’ and ‘bad’ behaviour co-exist in the short term – but where ultimately only good behaviour (that which is in line with God’s wisdom) will prevail. As I reflected last week, sometimes actions to do what is right, are curtailed by systems which currently prohibit or reduce the scope to do what is right.

Seeing the ‘bad fish’ as systems and practices that are not aligned with God’s wisdom that will ultimately be ‘cast out’  maybe a useful reading of this parable. Certainly until we loose such systems and practices, we cannot claim that God’s kingdom has come on earth as in heaven. 

Jesus’s final words point to the importance of people who have studied and focused their attention on learning God’s wisdom so that the whole household – the whole community – can benefit. Such learning and the sharing of such knowledge is critical in supporting and enabling the incoming of the kingdom of God. Improving our knowledge and using it to transform unjust systems – even of our actions seem as small a scrap of yeast – is our challenge as followers of Jesus.

1 Kings 3:5-12

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.” And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?” 

It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you.” 

Psalm 119:129-136

129 Your decrees are wonderful; *
therefore I obey them with all my heart.

130 When your word goes forth it gives light; *
it gives understanding to the simple.

131 I open my mouth and pant; *
I long for your commandments.

132 Turn to me in mercy, *
as you always do to those who love your Name.

133 Steady my footsteps in your word; *
let no iniquity have dominion over me.

134 Rescue me from those who oppress me, *
and I will keep your commandments.

135 Let your countenance shine upon your servant *
and teach me your statutes.

136 My eyes shed streams of tears, *
because people do not keep your law.

Romans 8:26-39

The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all day long;
we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.” 

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Matthew 13:31-33,44-52

Jesus put before the crowds another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” 

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

“Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”