The parables of Mk 4 concern the establishment and growth of God’s kingdom. The first lengthy parable of the sower and seed, and its explanation, is read in Year A, Fifteenth Sunday, in the somewhat more developed version found in Mt 13:1-23. Vv 21-25 explain how these parables are to be heard — they must be received and pondered with an open heart in a way that allows them to illumine the course of our lives. Only when we have made them our own can we begin to share their insights with others.

The two parables of the liturgical reading run counter to our desires for instant results. The seed when planted is gone from sight, but that does not mean nothing is happening. Similarly, the work of Jesus, as well as our ministry as his followers in God’s kingdom, cannot be measured by immediate and observable results. Christians have to resist the temptation to apply cost-efficient standards to ministry; we cannot let our share in the work of Christ be measured by outward evidence of success. Seeds that we plant will bear fruit in the Lord’s time by his work. Our task is to plant the seeds, and to plant them well. We cannot use God’s power to accomplish his work as an excuse for lazy ministry or shoddy work either.

The use of parables in itself is a lot like planting seeds. A parable is not a lesson like "Today I learned that the kingdom of God grows slowly." Instead, a parable is a story that draws the learner into it, and invites exploration of its meaning. Parables bear repeated telling and hearing, and each time new insight can be discovered.

This poem is also a parable. The figure of a tree is strong and often used in the Hebrew Scriptures. Here, the old cedar is the old Israel, nearly destroyed by its enemies. But God himself will save a remnant — a tiny twig — and transplant it so that it might become a tree that will spread its branches over the whole earth. The little twig, however, is fragile and will grow only under the power and protection of God. The new Israel — the Church — is born in weakness and insignificance, yet spreads throughout the earth under God’s care.

This song of praise recounts the response of both the wicked (vv 6-12) and the just (vv 13-16) to God’s goodness. Response: "Lord, it is good to give thanks to you."

The strength of Christian hope puts the rest of the world in perspective. On the one hand, the Christian cultivates a certain indifference toward his or her own position in the world. On the other hand, the world becomes extremely precious as the scene in which salvation is accomplished and God’s order restored.

1. In what way could we say that patience is one of the most important requirements for Christian ministry?

2. Does storytelling have a place in your life as a follower of Jesus? Why or why not?