Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Today’s Reading | Mark 4:1–20
Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” And he said, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!”

When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that
     ‘they may indeed look, but not perceive,
     and may indeed listen, but not understand;
     so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.’”

And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing. And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” (NRSV)

Reflection
Many people concerned with the future of Christian communities are worried about whether our stories make sense to those who have not connected with or have felt alienated by our faith traditions. It’s frustrating, then, to think that the very person whom we’re trying to follow spoke about faith in ways that were intentionally confusing. Why would Jesus say the purpose of the parables was to make it so some “may indeed look but not perceive, listen but not understand; so that they may not turn again and be forgiven?”

Yet, contrary to what he has just said about parables, Jesus does not abandon his friends to their ignorance and sin; Jesus carefully explains the meaning of the parable, unpacking the significance of the different soil and the warnings they imply for our daily living.

During this Lenten journey (especially if we have decided to take on sacrificial or devotional exercises as a part of our observation of the season) it can feel like we walk a lonely road of testing—one that our God has set before us so that we might prove our worthiness . . . or fail and justify our judgment. The parable alone might confirm that dire and discouraging take on what is revealed of our faith by Lent. Yet Jesus’ patient way with his followers—how his relationship with them trumps his notions of proper practice or belief, leading him to lay bare all that he claims must remain a mystery—this is the essence of the Savior whose journey we share during this season.

Prayer
Loving God, remind me that you came into this world to show your compassion and caring in the person of Jesus. Make me bold to rely on his friendship, so that I might not shy away from the hard task of living faithfully in a world full of forces that stand against your word, institutions that exact a price for devotion to you, and distractions that shine brightly to draw me away from your presence. Even when I do not understand the meaning of your story for my life, help me to trust that you will not abandon me, but instead continue to speak to me of your grace. Amen.

Written by Hardy H. Kim, Associate Pastor for Evangelism

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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