Gospel: Mark 4:1-20

 

Mark describes the way in which Jesus teaches the crowd: on the seaside, sitting in the boat, with many people around listening to Him. Without asking permission from the authorities, He began to teach the people. He spoke in a very different way.  

 

Jesus helped people perceive the mysterious presence of the Kingdom in the things of life by means of parables. His parable uses these things which were known to the people to explain the mysteries of the Kingdom.

 

At that time it was not easy to get a livelihood from agriculture. The land was full of stones. There were many bushes, little rain and much sun. Many times people, in order to take a shortcut,  passed through the fields. But in spite of that, every year, the farmer sowed and planted, trusting in the generosity of nature.

 

Jesus begins the parable saying, “Listen!”. Now, at the end, He says, “He who has ears to listen, let him listen!” The way to understand the parable is by listening and thinking, “trying to understand!” The parable does not give us everything ready made, but induces those who listen to think and discover. 

 

Jesus says that this has something to do with the Kingdom of God. The parable reveals and hides at the same time! It reveals to “those who are inside,” who accept Jesus, the Messiah, the Servant. It hides for those who insist on considering Him the glorious king. They understand the images of the parable, but they do not grasp the significance.