On the Back Porch
17th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A
What We Celebrate
Matthew 13 has sometimes been called a “day of parables.” The two parables that make up this gospel passage are unique to Matthew: Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price. They continue the development of the theme of whole-hearted response with which the parable of the sower concluded. There is also a third parable (the Net) that is closely related to the parable of the weeds, and emphasizes again the division which the preaching of God’s kingdom brings.
The “day of parables” ends with a saying that expresses well the ideal to which the evangelist aspired: “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” The disciples need to understand the radically new act of God in Christ in the light of the Old Testament tradition. Such a person understands the relation between the new (Christ) and the old (Jewish tradition). There is a lot more to glean from this Sunday’s Gospel.
The Story of Creation
Folks are familiar with the story of Creation told in the first chapters of Genesis. But there is a larger narrative than “7 days of creation.” It is a story of God’s ideal vision for the cosmos, establishing His divine rule and our role in partnering to bring His purpose. In this series of video we’ll consider how various Biblical authors repeat and amplify that narrative, all leading to the story of Jesus whose mission is to bring all things to God’s good purpose and end. Watch video #3 of 5.
Proverbs 8
Proverbs 8 portrays wisdom as a woman who calls people to learn her ways and find life. In this video, we ask, Whose wisdom do we choose to live by? Wisdom with God in the Beginning: God carves order of darkness and chaos, and this ordering power is still at work today. As humans, we are called to partner with God in this work, and we are only able to do so through God’s wisdom. This brings us to Proverbs 8, where we meet Lady Wisdom. She is God’s wisdom personified, and Scripture tells us she was present with God in the beginning, helping to bring order out of chaos. Proverbs 8 draws upon the rich imagery found in Genesis 1 and brings a new level of understanding to the creation narrative.
Previous Videos in the Series: