JULY 16, 2017
9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 5:30 PM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASSES
A chengyu is a four syllable Chinese idiom. Some of them are seeped in legend – sort of like an inside joke – so that without knowing the entire story, the underlying meaning is all but lost.
For example, “po fu chen zhou” literally means, “break the woks, sink the boats.”
This is based on a Chinese historical figure – a General named Xiang You – who, during the Qin Dynasty in the 2nd century BC, ordered his troops to destroy all of their cooking utensils and scuttled all of their boats after they crossed the Zhang River and landed in enemy territory.
He is believed to have won this battle – known as the Battle of Julu – due to his ruthlessness by removing any opportunity for his troops to retreat. They had barely enough supplies for three days, and their only option was to fight. In this, the soldiers were forced to be totally committed to the battle and focused only on winning. They were, ultimately, victorious. However, without knowing the entire story, the phrase about woks and boats has very little meaning.
Other chengyu are more accessible and understandable without too much explanation.
“Bing shan yi jiao,” means “the tip of the iceberg."
Or take “yi jian zhong qing.” Literally, “one look, time for love;” meaning “love at first sight.”
The Jewish rabbis use what are called “mashal” (משל) or allegories to illustrate moral lessons and religious principals. The Hebrew word “mashal” was translated into the Greek word, παραβολὴ, which means a “juxtaposition” … and is where we get the English word “parable.”
Today is the 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time.
In today’s Gospel, we begin the 13th Chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel.
Over the next several weeks, we will work our way through this chapter which contains a total of seven parables.
Seven, in the Jewish tradition carries several meanings.
Seven can imply perfection or completeness. It also is demonstrative of an oath or a commitment. The seventh day, or Sabbath, was the completion of a week … tied into the completion of creation; whereas keeping the Sabbath was a sign of God’s oath to the people of Israel … and their personal commitment to God’s law by their observation of the Sabbath rest on the seventh day of the week.
Jesus, in these seven parables, presents us with seven “juxtapositions” … or seven analogies … of the Kingdom of God.
Today’s Gospel was the Parable of the Sower.
Over the next few Sundays, we will also hear the Parable of the Weeds and the Wheat, the Parable of the Mustard Seed, the Parable of the Leaven, the Parable of the Buried Treasure, the Parable of the Pearl, and the Parable of the Dragnet.
Each of these parables give us a unique and differing perspective on the Kingdom of God – allowing us to alter our viewpoint, and perhaps better evaluate our personal relationship to God and Christ … the Kingdom of God … our role in advancing His Kingdom … and our daily commitment to living in the Kingdom of God … as well as what we are doing (or are not doing) to build up God’s Kingdom here and now.
Today’s Gospel story was summarized in the verse before the Gospel:
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower.
All who come to him will have life forever.
And in hearing parables, we are forced to explore the Truth – in the Word of God, in the Person of Jesus Christ, through the action of the Holy Spirit … the Spirit of Truth. We must then live out this truth in our lives – becoming disciples of the Truth. And finally, we become stewards of the Truth – bringing what we have received in the Gospel and taking it to the world.
As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ … let us pray for the grace to grow daily in our relationship with God and with each other. May we go forth from this place as ambassadors of the Word of God … filled with the Holy Spirit … to build up God’s Kingdom each day.
