Visible and Hidden

The psalm today in the Roman Catholic Lectionary is Psalm 51. It is a psalm of repentance and forgiveness. It contains deeply felt remorse and rejoicing at the mercy of God. The text from 2 Samuel tells of David’s adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband. It is clear that forgiveness and mercy are the personal experience of David. The message to all is to seek reconciliation within the love of God. Jesus parables of mustard seeds and growing seeds are told by Mark. The parable is a teaching form that demands our reflection. The surface story appears at first read to contain the simple message. We can take it in and wonder at the obvious nature of the lesson. Yet Jesus explained the apparently obvious to the disciples. That indicates there is deeper understanding in the parables for thouse who seek to see, hear and taste more. Jesuit teachers encourage the use of imagination and the indwelling Spirit to “take us” into the parable. We can be patient and let the Divine teach us something beyond the obvious.