More Than Just a Story

A Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, June 16th, 2024:
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Mark
​4.26-34

Such a large crowd gathered around Jesus that he got into a boat and began to teach them using many parables.

Jesus said: “The kingdom of God is as if a man would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, without his knowing how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

Jesus also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Once upon a time…

There is magic in these words. At least I think so. When I heard these words as a child, I knew a story was coming. Even now, as an adult, these words have the same effect because I love stories. A good story …

Helps me to escape – even just for a little while.
Helps me to dream – of what could be.
Helps me to imagine – a whole host of characters, adventures, and scenarios. 
Helps me to understand – the world around me.
Helps me to learn – about the world and the people in it. 
Takes me beyond myself.

There is power in storytelling. So it’s no wonder that Jesus uses stories to reveal the Father and His Kingdom to us. We all can recall a parable… or two… or three that Jesus told. People know the stories of Jesus – even those who have yet to encounter Jesus deeply. But how have I told His story? In my telling of His story have I helped someone else know Jesus as I know Him? Yes and no. Sometimes I feel like it’s not my story to tell. But it is! Because my story does not exist apart from Jesus’ story. I was created to know Him, love Him, and be loved by Him. And share Him. 

God wrote the start of my story and seeks to write the rest of the story with me. I co-create my story with a God who wanted me to exist not simply as one of His creations but as one who is in relationship with Him, who continues to write the story and spread it. So many have done so before me. And many will do so after me. But these “chapters,” the ones in which I am a main character, are where God calls me to tell the story of how His love has transformed me. I need to tell the story. And tell it well. Then maybe, just maybe, someone else will hear, read, look at my story and find in it a way that they too can encounter Christ and be transformed. Then, they too can continue the story. I have the privilege and responsibility to keep writing our story, mine and God’s.

Because ultimately all our stories are intertwined. We may not always know it, nor do we always acknowledge it. Some of my favourite stories are the ones where the characters are apparent strangers but as the story unfolds they’ve crossed paths or have a connection somehow. The stories intertwine and finding out where the connections are is part of the story. 

And like the parables that Jesus told, we sometimes need someone to come along and unpack our story with us. To point out the connections and point us to each other and to the goodness of our God. Jesus is willing, actually wanting, to do that for us. If we let Him. Because some stories are more than just a story.




Aurea Sadi​

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