Parables are cool!

(Parabole-juxtaposition, comparison from known to unknown, illustration, analogy, to put side by side in a fresh way, like an extended metaphor…)

Studying the method of parables in teaching today….they were common in the midrashic (rabbinical interpretation) method of teaching. Greek’s used em too! Using common things to explain spiritual realities, symbolic analogies….Jesus obviously used this method often. Extended metaphors, analogies and little symbolic stories. A little example: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Love that one!

Still, a cool method of gaining insight, and seeking out the truth between, and behind the lines, as the Rabbi’s put it. Analogy, juxtaposition, setting odd things side by side is also how humor works. Jesus kept saying, the Kingdom of God is like, is like, is like….cool pedagogical method. Parables make you want to daresh-seek out the meaning until your inside of it! The symbol points and participates in the Reality to which it points!

What would new parables look like. What about the weeds parable. The Kingdom is like a computer which got a virus. Instead of destroying the whole computer, God waited until the end, and had His assistants take out the virus and destroy it. Or, the Kingdom is like dying streaks in your hair the wrong color. Instead of shaving your head, you let it all grow out, and later cut out the streaked hair (ok, that’s not my best, but fun trying!)

Jesus often taught using symbolic analogies! Keyhole stories to glimpse Kingdom through. Fun studying them and the method itself of teaching. Here’s one I liked from another Rabbi:

I still like this method of gaining insights! Liked this one! Makes you want to keep your costumed readied! Although in christianity character is more important than costume, both must stay readied! Using common things around us to reveal uncommon things.

“Johanan b. Zakkai illustrates the necessity of daily conversion and of constant readiness to appear before God in heaven by the following parable: “A king invited his servants to a banquet without stating the exact time at which it would be given. Those who were wise remembered that all things are ever ready in the palace of a king, and they arrayed themselves and sat by the palace gate awaiting the call to enter, while those who were foolish continued their customary occupations, saying, ‘A banquet requires great preparation.’ When the king suddenly called his servants to the banquet, those who were wise appeared in clean raiment and well adorned, while those who were foolish came in soiled and ordinary garments. The king took pleasure in seeing those who were wise, but was full of anger at those who were foolish, saying that those who had come prepared for the banquet should sit down and eat and drink, but that those who had not properly arrayed themselves should stand and look on” (Shab. 153a). Similar parables expressing the same thought are found in the New Testament (Matt. xxii. 10-12, xxv. 1-12; Luke xii. 36)”

Very kind and humble of God to teach this way. Make you aware of how aware He is of how the common things around us work and reflect spiritual reality! He is intimately familiar with the common metaphors around us! Things teach, when we see them as parables! I like thinking of living itself as a parable or poem! Nothing lacks meaning when seen through the lens of parable!

While in waiting, we suffered well-that is
with Him. So now, we are clothed in Joy
and Hope is our pipe to smoke tonight.

Postcards from the circus

This, the year of the return of the clown,
I thought I’d send some postcards from the circus.
We suffer the trapeze to know the release of Joy and Hope
in mid-air!
The circus of suffering with, always
crescendos into Joy
by His Wounds, our costumes are mended. And Hope trumpets
new beginnings, new lights, new juggling acts…
Backstage we did not deny our pain,
so now we can share His Joy with you all.
And we will not fall, but when we do, Our Net is secure.
We caught, while falling well (that is, into His Pain through ours!), bounce back upwards
into the enormous canopy, the big top of the Palms of Our Father–
The Master of ceremonies,
catches us again.
And this is our whole act.
Hope you enjoy the show friends!
Step right up!

Today with Nature and God..

I never feel lonely
with all these creatures around
each playing in their own way
I could listen all day, to say,
just the birds in my yard, and be endlessly
convinced, entranced, and in wonder at all
that God is.
The world is filled now
only with friends.
Since childhood, where it begins, the robin and blue jay and the wren
spoke to me of God. And i listened, even then.
Later the hawks talked mostly to me. They taught me
to see and how to hunt with articulation
the things of The Spirit.
Now even some of the creatures of the deep
teach me from their mysterious silent distance. God is always talking
through them, at least to me.
So i never feel lonely
with so many friends around
to see.

Today with Nature and God..

I never feel lonely
with all these creatures around
each playing in their own way
I could listen all day, to say,
just the birds in my yard, and be endlessly
convinced, entranced, and in wonder at all
that God is.
The world is filled now
only with friends.
Since childhood, where it begins, the robin and blue jay and the wren
spoke to me of God. And i listened, even then.
Later the hawks talked mostly to me. They taught me
to see and how to hunt with articulation
the things of The Spirit.
Now even some of the creatures of the deep
teach me from their mysterious silent distance. God is always talking
through them, at least to me.
So i never feel lonely
with so many friends around.

Every person is
a poem to me
every conversation we have
i know more of God.
i am listening through you
into a bigger and louder Love Song
of which
we are notes sung out loud.
We are trembling treble clefts
in the grand Score.
I already hear the chorus
through the outer roar of you right now, my love.
So how can i keep
from singing, and us
from being sung! Inside of me
we are part a new song already begun-thats
all i hear, my dear!
We are songs being sung!
I’m just a listener
trying to listen well to All
I hear.

How conversations and being with others can become part of our spirituality:

I try to be with Him
when I’m with you;
to pray, that is
without ceasing,
to see you
with that view
of our backdrop.
My time alone with God
includes my time
with you.
I’ll try to treat you
in that context.
Then maybe
we’ll know
Love as our
atmosphere
friend.
When I can’t see Him
I stop, until i do
and then look back
at you.
That’s how i try
to stay in Love
with you.

How I hear things:

God surrounds me.
I see Him in everything-
especially the birds
and people’s eyes
and their stories
they share with me (their inner songs are what i hear);
because I’m here
and listening through them to Him.
Their inflections
are syllables in His Mouth
about to be
pronounced.
God is never silent
even in silence. To me
He comes as speech
as living Word,
and He is always here
if you can hear.

The word friend
is my favorite word,
when God speaks it.
I am friends with Him
and everyone who is friends with Him
is my best friend.

A prayer
May every word i write, every thought i have
every photo i take, every poem i write, every person i
truly see today, every city i pray for, every great conversation i have, every
project i do, every coffee I drink,
every party i attend, every ending and
beginning, every book i write, every art gallery i start, every breath i take
lead me and others deeper into You God.
That will be enough for me. For
everything leads into You in the end,
my Friend. There are two directions for everything-towards and away from You.
So may even these scribbles on facebook
lead us, or magnetize us deeper into God. So,
let everything i do, lead to You Lord, my Lover
My best Friend, My God! (A modern monks prayer)