Leaven in the Meal

Week 10: Ten Virgins

“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 25:1-13

My Reflection

In this parable, the kingdom of heaven is compared to ten young ladies who, with oil powered lamps, went out to meet a groom. Five of these ladies came prepared with additional oil for their lamps, and five did not. The ladies had to wait a long while for the groom. Once he was observed to be approaching, the ladies were sent out to meet him. The five which had come unprepared, had run out of oil so their lamps no longer worked. These foolish five, then asked of the rest to allow them to use the oil that they had brought. But those who had come prepared told them to go and buy their own because there might not be enough extra for them all. Instead of meeting the groom, they had to go instead to buy more oil. While they were away, the bridegroom came and the five ladies who were ready, escorted him in and the door was shut. Later, the remaining five returned and asked to be let in, but the lord of the house did not allow them in. This parable ends in, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”

This parable seems to be a call for everyone to prepare for the day when Jesus will come. Get ready, plan ahead, don’t wait. The oil in the lamp seems to be a symbol for whatever it is that you need in order to let your light shine. If you know that you don’t have what you need to be ready, then get what you need – more courage, less fear, more love, less hate. Do it now, because you never know when time your time is up. Maybe you need to stay prayerful, stay studious, stay in fellowship with those who support your Christian journey. However you need to refill your oil, so that your lamp won’t go out, is what you need to do.

Another point that I reflected on in the parable is that you can’t enter the kingdom on someone else’s good graces. The five ladies who had planned ahead and brought extra oil in anticipation of the wait for the bridegroom were asked to share their oil, or their replenishments with the five who had not planned ahead. The oil was not shared. The five who were unprepared were instead told to go and get their own. Likewise, I think this parable is saying that the grace and the goodness, the preparations for the kingdom of your neighbor, your friend, your spouse, your mother, or your father are not sufficient for you to enter the kingdom. You have to have it for yourself. As the old song goes, “God bless the child that’s got his own.”

Lastly, the parable also ends with the five ladies, who at this point had missed the bridegroom’s arrival, returning home to find that the door had been shut to them. They had returned too late and the lord of the house refused them entrance. They were not ready as they should have been at the appointed time, and now there was nothing that they could do to make up for their lack of preparation. It seems that Jesus was telling his disciples that they have to get ready and they have to stay ready for the kingdom because no one knows when their time will arrive. So, we all need to keep our lanterns lit and stock up with oil so that it never runs out.

Your Reflection

Do you have the oil you need in order for your light to shine?
How can you continue to fill your reserves so that your light won’t go out?

Week 9: A King Hosts a Wedding for His Son

“The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: and the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So the servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen. Matthew 22:2-14

My Summary & Reflection

In this parable, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a king who hosts a wedding for his son. The king has his servants go out to his invited guests and have them come to the wedding. The invited guests wouldn’t come. He sent another set of servants to those who had been invited to let them know that the feast had been prepared and everything was ready. Still, no one who had been invited came. Instead some of the invited guests ignored the servants, while others tormented and killed the servants. The king became angry and destroyed the murderers and their city.

To his remaining servants, the king announced that those originally invited had shown themselves to be unworthy. The king told the servants to go out and invite as many people, both good and bad that they could find to his son’s wedding. The newly invited guests arrived at the wedding and the king came in to see them. Upon inspection by the king, one guest’s attire was not suitable for a wedding. The king asked him why he had arrived unprepared, and he had no answer. The king instructed that this guest, who was not ready, be cast out. This parable ends as some others, “for many are called, but few are chosen.”

In the beginning of this parable, Jesus appears to be referring to God the Father as the king and himself as the groom. In this same way, Jesus and his disciples preached first to their friends, families, and neighbors in their own faith community. He was inviting his family and friends to be the first to celebrate a new relationship with him and with God. But Jesus and his apostles were rejected by many in their own communities. The disciples were the servants of God and not only were they ignored, but Jesus foreshadows that many will be put to death (as he and many disciples later were).

According to Jesus, this angers God that His son has been rejected and His servants put to death. More servants are then sent to invite all others to celebrate the good news of this new relationship. Those now invited include everyone of all cultures, countries, and prior faiths. He invites strangers, friends, and prior foes. But now, when everyone is invited to the celebration, only those ready to receive the good news will be allowed to remain in the kingdom. Although all are invited, only those who prepare and show themselves to be ready, will be chosen. For as Jesus says, “for many are called, but few are chosen.”

Your Reflection

How open are you to the invitation to a new relationship with God?
What does it look like to be prepared for the kingdom? How can you get ready?

Week 8: A Man Distributing Talents

“For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou has not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 25:14-30

My Summary & Reflection

In this parable, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a man who, prior to travelling away for a long journey, left three servants with the responsibility of handling his affairs while he was to be away. A talent was a unit of value, like money, during this time. He had assessed his servants’ abilities and gave them talents in accordance with the abilities each had to be responsible for them. To one servant, the most able, he provided five talents; to another servant two; and to the last servant he provided one talent. He then left on his journey.

The most able servant, after receiving the five talents put them to work and received from his investments an additional five talents. Likewise, the servant who had received two talents also was able to generate an additional two talents by using the resources entrusted to him. However, the servant who had received the one talent hid it by burying it underground.

After being gone for a long while, the homeowner returned from his trip and requested an accounting of his affairs from his three servants. The most able servant told the homeowner how he had doubled the talents entrusted to him and provided those ten talents to the homeowner. Similarly, the servant who had received the two talents had doubled them, he also provided the now four talents to the homeowner. The servant who had received the one talent began to tell the homeowner how much feared him and as a result had hidden the talent that had been entrusted to him. He returned only the one talent to the homeowner.

To the two most able servants, who had doubled what had been entrusted to them, the homeowner expressed his appreciation for all that they had done. Because they had shown themselves to be good stewards of his resources, they both were made rulers of many things. To the fearful servant, who had hidden the talent and returned it to the homeowner, he called him lazy and evil. He took the one talent that had been returned, and gave it to the most able servant, leaving the fearful servant with nothing.

How do we use the gifts that have been entrusted to us? This parable seems to tell us that God expects us to use what we have been given and to be productive stewards. We all aren’t given the same gifts or the same number of gifts, but no matter how much or how little we are given He doesn’t want us to squander those gifts in idleness. A big component of the issue with the servant provided the one talent is fearfulness. Fearfulness can prevent us from achieving all that God sees for us. Fearfulness caused the servant to hide the homeowner’s talent away, lest he should lose it or it be taken away from him. In the same way, fearfulness can cause us to not use the gifts that have been entrusted to us. Whether the fear surrounds losing the gift, or not being accepted by others, or not being as good as we hoped, it’s all fear and can lead to allowing our gifts to be taken away from us because we refuse to use them.

In the story, the talents do not belong to the servants, but to the homeowner. In the same way, this story may be letting us know that the gifts that we have here are not ours, but belong to God. A day will come when we have to make an accounting for how we used those gifts, whether they be physical, mental, tangible, or intangible. What became of them, did we grow them or did we bury them?

Your Reflection

What gifts (physical, mental, tangible, or intangible) have been entrusted to you?
What fears prevent you from using those gifts?
What are you growing those gifts into?

Week 7: A Householder Hiring Workers

“For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said unto them; Go yea also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning with the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many may be called, but few chosen.” Matthew 20:1 -16

Prior to giving this parable, Jesus says to Peter:

… “Verily, I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.” Matthew 19:28-30

My Summary & Reflection

In this parable, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a man who owns house with a vineyard. He goes out early in the morning to hire day labourers to work in his vineyard. He arranges with the labourers that he will pay them one flat fee for their work for the day. They agree to the rate and go to work. A couple of hours later, he goes out and finds additional workers to work alongside those he’d hired that morning. The vineyard owner went out again a couple of hours later and hires more workers. Lastly, the owner finds and hires even more workers a couple of hours later.

At the end of the day, the workers lined up, in order from those hired last to those hired first, in order to claim their pay. The vineyard owner paid the same flat daily amount to the workers hired at the end of the day as he had promised and gave to the workers who began work first in the morning. Those who had arrived earliest began to complain. They argued that they should be paid more than the workers who had arrived later in the day. But the vineyard owner reminded the workers that he paid them exactly what they had agreed to earlier in the day. Just because he was generous and paid the later workers the same amount, should be no concern of theirs. He questioned whether they were complaining about his generosity toward others, more that their belief that they had been cheated.

Jesus provides this parable, after responding to a question from his apostle Peter. Peter asks, “Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?” Matthew 19:27 For the early Christians, becoming a part of a new religion meant rejecting the teachings of their youth, rejecting the beliefs of their parents, their spouses, their children and the community in which they lived. Their new beliefs were considered blasphemous by those that they knew and loved. Peter’s question is what do we get for all of the hardships we’ve had to endure for this new religion Christianity?

Jesus’ answer in this parable, is that everyone will receive the eternal life that has been promised. That means for us, in our contemporary society, even though many of us were born into a Christian family, attend a Christian church, and are surrounded by others who believe as we do and who encourage us in our faith, we still receive the same eternal life promised to Peter and the apostles. It also means that those who are not born into Christian households, or who come to the faith later in in life, will still receive the same eternal life promised to Peter and the apostles and available to us all.

We tend to think of rewards as finite resources, like the money paid to the workers in the vineyard. In this parable, Jesus shows us that the kingdom of heaven is an infinite resource. Like love, it doesn’t reduce, just because someone else gets some. We don’t love our second or third child less than the first or reduce the love given to the first in order to give it to the second. The kingdom of heaven is infinite and available to all, regardless of when we come to it.

Your Reflection

Do you feel jealous of the good fortune of others?
How can you change your perspective about resources to banish those covetous desires?
How can you learn to appreciate your own good fortune, without comparisons with what someone else has?

Week 6: A Net Cast into the Sea

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.” Matthew 13:47-48

Jesus’ Explanation of this parable is:

“So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:49-50

My Summary & Reflection

In this parable, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a net used by a fisherman. In his net, the fisherman catches the fish he is searching for as well as debris and other things that he was not searching for. Similarly, in Jesus’ explanation, at the end of the world everyone and everything will be caught in the net. As the fisherman separates the good fish from the trash, so will the angels separate that which is to remain in the kingdom, from that which will be cast away into the furnace of fire.

As in the parable of Separating Tares from the Wheat, this story speaks of the separation of good from bad, the wanted from the unwanted, wheat from the tares, the fish from the trash that will occur at the end of the world. When I read this, I am reminded that imperfections on this side are just a part of life and are integrated into our lives. Like the good fish alongside the bad, the wheat alongside the tares, there are the “bad” that are intermixed with the “good” wherever we may be, whether we realize it or not. In our families, in our neighborhoods, at our jobs, at our places of worship, among our friends, everywhere where there are people gathered, there are interspersed among the good, some that are bad. With this parable, Jesus informs us that at the world’s end, a filter will be applied that allows only the good to pass into the kingdom.

Your Reflection

What can you do to separate yourself from evil deeds, evil words, and evil intentions?
What can you do to perpetuate in yourself that which is good?

Week 5: A King Forgiving Debts

“Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him. O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.” Matthew 18:23-34

Jesus’ Explanation of this parable is:

“So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.” Matthew 18:35

My Summary & Reflection

In this story, a king discovers that one of his servants owes him a large sum of money. The king demands repayment from the servant, who does not have the money to repay. At first, the king commands that the servant be sold along with his wife and children in repayment of his debt. The servant begged for compassion from the king. The king was moved to mercy and forgave the servant his debt. This same servant, whose debt had just been forgiven, then finds a fellow servant who owes him a small amount of money. The servant grabs and assaults his fellow servant, who begs for compassion in the same way that the servant had with the king. The servant, however, showed no mercy and had his fellow servant and debtor imprisoned. When the king found out that the servant failed to show the same mercy to his fellow servant that was shown to the servant himself, he was angry. The king reinstated the debt on his servant that he had earlier forgiven.

Jesus provides this parable, after responding to a question from his apostle Peter. Peter asks, “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?” Matthew 18:21 Jesus responds by saying, “I say not unto thee, until seven times: but, until seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:22 Jesus then, provides us with this parable. This parable teaches us that we should always be merciful and compassionate even to those who have hurt, mistreated, aggravated, lied to, stolen from, or in all ways sinned against us. In that same way, we will be forgiven every time we’ve sinned. Our heavenly father forgives us our sins in the same way that we forgive those who sin against us. “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Matthew 6:12

Your Reflection

Is it difficult for you to free yourself from sins by asking for forgiveness? If so, why?
How can you open your heart to mercy and compassion?
Is there some wrong committed against you with which you’re struggling with forgiveness?
Does knowing that your own sins will be forgiven make it easier for you to be forgiving?
Does our culture value forgiveness? How would things look different, if forgiveness was the norm?

Week 4: A Merchant with One Pearl of Great Price

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” Matthew 13:45-46

My Summary & Reflection

In this story a merchant, a person who makes his living buying and selling items for profit, is searching for pearls. Presumably, this merchant is searching for pearls in order to resell them. While conducting his search, he finds one very expensive pearl. The merchant goes and sells all that he owns in order to buy that one expensive pearl.

At first glance, this parable seems similar to the Treasure in a Field parable that we discussed in week 3. However, it differs for me in one important way. The kingdom of heaven in that parable is compared with the treasure, “like unto treasure”; whereas in this parable, the kingdom is compared with the merchant, “like unto a merchant man.” In this parable, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a person who found something of great value and was willing to give up everything in order to have it. This is important because in the Treasure in a Field parable, the man who found the treasure was the one willing to give up everything, but in this story, the kingdom, as personified through the merchant, is also willing to give up everything for the one pearl.

Another interesting thing is that the pearl is described as being “of great price” or expensive and not as beautiful, or large, or luminescent, or any of the characteristics that would typically be used to distinguish this pearl from the others that the merchant examined. Instead, it simply said that the pearl was “of great price”. Apparently whatever that great price was, the merchant decided that it was not too much for him to pay. He decided that it was worth everything that he had in order to obtain it.

While reviewing this parable, I began to wonder if Jesus, in telling this parable, was foreshadowing the great price that he would pay for us. I wonder if the soul of humanity itself is represented by the expensive pearl. Jesus was willing to give up his very life, all that he had on earth, in order to save our souls.

Your Reflection

What has / will the kingdom of heaven give for the pearl it finds?
Do you think the pearl is worth the price that the merchant is willing to pay? Why or why not?

Week 3: Treasure in a Field

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” Matthew 13:44

My Summary & Reflection

In this parable, “the kingdom of heaven” is compared to a treasure hidden in a field. When a man finds the treasure, he hides it and joyfully sells all that he has in order to buy that field.

When I first envisioned the treasure, I thought of a treasure chest like in pirate movies, filled with gold, diamonds, and rubies that had been buried underground. When I thought about it this way, though, I wondered why not remove the chest and buy the treasure directly? Then, I reframed my thought to something a bit less portable. I thought then that treasure itself must’ve been something that was ingrained within the field itself – like oil or precious minerals in the ground. Whatever the treasure was, the man believed it to be worth all that he had. He went away and joyfully sold all that he had in order to buy that treasure-filled field.

In this way, I believe that Jesus is telling us that the kingdom of heaven is a treasure that is worth all of our earthly possessions. Also, in order to have it, we have to be willing to joyfully give up those possessions. We can’t have both the treasure and what we had before we found it.

The other part of this parable that I want to explore is the phrase, “for joy thereof”. I take this to mean that the man was pleased and excited to be able exchange all that he owned in order to buy this treasure-filled field. To me, that means that he clearly believed that the value of that treasure greatly exceeded what he currently had. The parable didn’t say that he fearfully sold all that he had, or with great reservation sold all that he had, but he did so with joy and confidence that this was clearly the right call for him.

This parable tells me that the kingdom of heaven is a greater and a better thing than anything that we have experienced so far. It is a treasure so great that we should not only be willing, but excited, grateful, and certain about trading all that we have here on earth for it. That is the cost of the kingdom; that is what is required – all that we have and we should be joyful in paying.

Your Reflection

What are you willing to trade for the kingdom?
Are you as certain as the man in this parable, or do you have fear or reservations? Why?

Week 2: Separating Tares from the Wheat

“The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, ‘Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares?’ He said unto them, ‘An enemy hath done this.’ The servants said unto him, ‘Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.’” Matthew 13:24-30

Jesus’ Explanation of this parable is:

“He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father…” Matthew 13:37-43

My Summary & Reflection

This is one of the parables that is explained by Jesus. He explains that this parable describes what will happen at the end of the world. At that time, the evil will be separated from the good. Only the good, the “children of the kingdom”, will enter into the kingdom of God. The evil, the “children of the wicked one”, will be destroyed.

When I think of this parable, I think not just of the end of the world, but also the end of each of our lives. When an infant is born into the world, with his perfect new body and his beautiful soul, he or she is like a good seed being planted on the earth. For all of us some hardship or sickness will infect the good seed and grow right along with it. For me it may be scoliosis, for you it may be cancer, high blood pressure or glaucoma. A tare is a contaminant. It can be a weed in our garden or a disease in our bodies. Some of these tares may be plucked during our lifetime, by surgeons or the antibodies within our own immune systems, others will be with us on the day of our death. Regardless, when that harvest comes, the illnesses that occupied our bodies and that grew right along with us will be left behind and cast into the “furnace of fire”.

Jesus explains in his description that in the kingdom of heaven a separation will occur. Only the wheat will be permitted. There are no cancers in heaven. Not only do we separate one from another, but we also separate our body from our soul.

In a spiritual sense, we also can also become infected with sin. I think often of the prayer that Jesus taught us. In it we should say, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” We can all become free of the infection of sin, by asking for and receiving forgiveness. But, of course to be forgiven, we need to practice forgiveness to our brothers and sisters, neighbors, and enemies here on earth. Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” He showed us the way to separate ourselves from sin, to remove the spiritual weeds in our path, while we are still here.

Your Reflection

What are the tares in your field and how can you separate from them?
What are the tares in the world and how can we separate from them?

Week 1: Leaven in the Meal

“The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” Matthew 13:33

“…Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” Luke 13:20-21

My Summary & Reflection

This is a pretty short and direct parable. In it a woman takes some portion of leaven, like yeast, and hides it in three portions of meal. The yeast is now incorporated or mixed into all of the meal.

In other parables, Jesus refers to “the kingdom of heaven” as a place, but in this one he implies that it is a thing that can be added to something else. So, Jesus, appears to be saying that the kingdom of heaven, when added to someone or something, makes that thing better. In the case of meal used for making bread, it makes that thing rise.

There is no direct explanation of this parable in the gospels of Matthew or Luke. So, I began my reflection with the definition of leaven. Leaven is an ingredient that causes bread to rise. It is the ingredient that causes yeast rolls or breads to have a fluffy texture and not stay flat like a tortilla or a cracker. It is considered a productive ingredient because it makes what it is added to better.

I also thought about the use of the female as the one to add this leaven to the meal. Most of the other parables have a male protagonist – a shepherd, a king, a merchant. But this one uses a woman. Maybe Jesus used a female in his parable, simply because during the time of his teaching, women were the ones responsible for the cooking. However, upon reflection, he could be giving a charge to those responsible for the feeding of the family, whether spiritual or physical. He may be directing those who feed the body, to provide also the ingredients that will make our spiritual lives better. Bring the “kingdom of heaven” to your family or to those under your care and all will be made better.

This parable is the source of the title for this blog. It is my sincere hope that leaven that is hidden here, will help each of us rise!

Your Reflection

How can you add the kingdom of heaven into your own life? What does that look like?
How can you add the kingdom of heaven into the lives of those under your care?