Over the last few weeks our gospel texts have shared with us a parable from Jesus. At first glance, they often appear simplistic but usually have some sort of twist that requires grappling. As Solomon prays for wisdom (1 Kings) and Paul encourages prayer for discernment (Romans), we seek to more deeply know the treasures of faith and how to detect the kingdom of God. In today’s gospel, Jesus offers more 5 more – a plethora of parables – filled with everyday images that reveal to us what the kingdom of heaven is like: a mustard shrub that becomes a shelter for birds, yeast that is hidden and expands, a treasure buried and bought, a pearl of great price, a net that captures the catch of the day. Such pithy parables remind us that the kingdom of heaven can be found in the midst of the (extra)ordinary stuff of our everyday lives and invite us to write our own parallel parables. When we seek the riches of God’s reign, the great surprise is that the richness of God’s grace was right under our noses all along! Join us Sunday and write your own heavenly parable!
images: An oyster with a pearl. Copyright © 2025 Getty Images Plus via Getty Images/Tetra Images. Used by permission. Bowls of sourdough rising. Photo copyright © The Picture Pantry/Alamy Stock Photo. Used by permission. stock.adobe.com