August 2008

Stories Seldom Heard Archive

Stories Seldom Heard

108th Edition

Matthew 25: 14-30

 Welcome to Stories Seldom Heard.  Recently I was talking to a woman, Kathy, with whom I had gone to high school.  She was saying that she really enjoyed her new found freedom now that she has retired as a professional story teller.  She spent years studying with a variety of teachers.  Even though many of her performances were for younger audiences, she was rather adventuresome.  In fact, one Halloween night we went to see her perform in a night club.  It was a hard crowd to please to say the least, but her skills were well honed and within a few minutes she had won them over.

Story telling is a gift.  Some people are born with it but most of us have to work hard at it. Some stories are intended for adult audiences, others for children.  There are many different styles and a good story teller tweaks the details of her/his story depending on the audience.  Even though stories might have similar themes the brogue of an Irish story teller, the drawl of a southerner or the accent of a Peruvian woman all bring with them a special power and unique character depending on the intentions of the story teller.

Even though we call many of Jesus stories parables, they are not all the same.  There is a great variety of topics and each parable invites us into a world of its own because the subject matter and the characters are designed to meet a particular situation that Jesus is addressing.  Now it’s true, some of the parables in the Bible come one right after the other, but they were probably not told that way.  Rather they were put into groupings when the scriptures were written so that none of them would be lost.  But most of the parables that Jesus tells are told within a context.  Jesus is interacting with others and he uses parables to help his hearers understand what he is saying.

Jesus is smart.  He captures the attention of his hearers because he knows where to begin his stories.  He always begins with an experience that is common to them and surprisingly enough, one that we, too, can understand.  Even though there are two thousand years between Jesus’ stories and our lives, his words clearly draw a visual picture for us.  It might take us a little time, reflection and prayer, but as we grow and change the parables continue to speak to us in new and different ways because they speak to our human experience.  They touch into our deepest needs, loves, fears and hopes.

There is not one way to hear a parable.  Parables don’t have one point so that once we understand that one idea we can say we have mastered Jesus’ understanding.  Rather, the parables can be heard in a variety of ways because they are influenced by our own experiences.  Each time we hear them they stir our imaginations, memories and hopes.  In a real way they draw us to the edge and invite us into another world where God is at work and where God’s power rules. The image that comes to mind is that of peeking through the small space of a door slightly ajar.  In the distance is a glorious countryside –marked with flowers, orchards of fruit trees and vegetable gardens.  Animals from every nation are freely grazing together.   In other words, the parables help our hearts and minds see better, God’s “kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.”

Over the last couple of months, as we have been studying the parables, it has become more apparent that the parables are very special and unique stories.  Also, we have come to realize that they are complex and that every king or landowner in the parables does not represent God.  Thank goodness, because the Parable of the Talents tells the story of a rather ruthless landowner.  From the beginning of the story we know some things about him.  He is wealthy.  He decides to go on a long journey.  Before he leaves he entrusts three different servants with an unequal portion of his goods “each in proportion to his ability.”  As the parable unfolds, however, we learn other very significant information.  The landowner has high expectations for those whom he has entrusted with his property.  Not only that, but the third servant has a telling remark about the landowner’s character.  “I had heard you were a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered;…”   The landowner doesn’t deny this characterization of himself.  In fact, he confirms it.  No wonder the third servant was afraid.

There are a lot of details left out of the story, but after reading the exchange between the angry landowner and the fearful servant, it is easier to understand the third servant’s inaction.   Who wouldn’t be intimidated by a landowner with such a hard reputation?  Furthermore, since the landowner didn’t tell the servants specifically to invest his money, how could they be sure that was what he expected of them?  I would venture to say, that most of us would respond in the same way.  Investing is risky especially if we are using someone else’ money.  However, Jesus is not talking about money or portfolios.  He is talking about investing - investing ourselves.

The focus of the parable is not the landowner, but the third servant who is too fearful to become fully invested.   It’s the story too, of a person who has some faith, talents or gifts, but is too timid and/or fearful to use them because the desire for security controls her/his life.  It echoes other parables about not giving ourselves fully, not dying for what we believe or not making room for growth and change that is not in our control, but the surprise of grace. 

In fact, the very next parable is the Last Judgment.  There are many ways we can look at this story, but it clearly identifies some of our fears- fears of the imprisoned, hungry, ill clothed, sick and the stranger.  This parable, too, invites us to give what we have whether it is comfort, compassion or currency to the one who is in need – to the other who is Christ.  Having both of these parables side by side emphasizes the mystery of faith.  It also helps us understand why we are willing to risk looking foolish, impractical or even naïve to others.  We have Jesus’ vision for the world and we have his promise that he is with us when we struggle to make that vision a reality in our lives.

God meets us in a special way when we give away what we have, especially when we give ourselves in true concern for the other.  Yet, indecision, inaction, fear of what others might think or do to us can immobilize us, make us hesitant and block our vision.  Fear can even stop us from peering through the small crack in the doorway that is slightly open because if we see a different vision –God’s kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven - we might be required to change our lives.

So what would have helped the servant get beyond her/his fears?  Or more importantly, how do we get beyond our fears?  How can we help others do the same?  Certainly for people of faith reading scripture, prayer, meditation and praying for wisdom and courage can help us overcome fear.  Our companions too influence our actions and reinforce right relationships.  Their wisdom and courage can encourage us to live by the commandments of Jesus.  Also, reading stories about people who have overcome enormous obstacles can inspire us.   Just yesterday a friend of mine bought The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch.  If you don’t know his compelling story you can watch a video on line that captures the heart of his last lecture.  (http://download.srv.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch).  

Growing in courage also means growing in compassion.  When we see another’s suffering as our own, when we feel the pain of another’s misfortune or the anger of being treated unjustly as an offense to everyone’s dignity we know that God’s reign (power) is within us. It’s difficult to become totally congruent with Jesus’ Way.  It doesn’t happen overnight, but those of us who are older have a great advantage.  As we peer through the crack in the doorway the vision of the reign of God makes more sense to us than it ever has before.  We truly have a choice not to risk, not to love, not to care, but is it really a choice for those of us who believe in Jesus and trust in his promise to be with us whenever we act in his name? 

Mary Oliver in her poem “I wish I loved no one” offers us a frightening alternative vision.

I wish I loved no one,/I said, one long day./You are a fool then,/ said the old cripple/from the poorhouse./  You are a fool then,/ said the young woman/tramping the road/with nothing, nothing./  I wish I loved no one,/I said on yet another long day./  You are a fool then,/said a wrinkled face/at the boarding house./And she laughed. /A pitiful fool!

Special thanks to Mary Ellen Green who has helped in editing this article.

"Stories Seldom Heard" is a monthly article written by Sister Patricia Bruno, O.P.  Sister is a Dominican Sister of San Rafael, California.  This service is offered to the Christian community to enrich one's personal and spiritual life.  The articles can be used for individual or group reflection.  If you would like "Stories Seldom Heard" sent to a friend, please send a note to "purple115@juno.com".  If you would like to support this ministry, please send tax deductible contributions to Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, c/o Sister Patricia Bruno, O.P., 1520 Grand Avenue, San Rafael, CA,   94901

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