On the Back Porch
18th 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.
Psalm 148
In this video, we explore Psalm 148 and its call on the whole cosmos, above and below, to praise God. All of God’s creatures should join in the chorus, for God created and sustains them all. The author of the psalm understood the story of Genesis and it forms the framework for his writing.
Psalm 148 is a call for the whole cosmos to praise God. In the climactic conclusion of Psalm 148, we read that Israel should praise God because he has raised a horn for them. But what’s the deal with this horn? And why is God lifting it up? In this video, we explore how Psalm 148 fits into the overall story of the book of Psalms—the story of God’s promise to raise up a king who will bring victory to Israel and rescue the world.
Previous Videos in the Series: