Religious Education

PARABLES

As we journey through Ordinary Time in the Church's Liturgical Year, we can understand why, with its prevaling of colour green, it is often called "Growing Time." Although the word ordinary comes from the word ordinal (meaning "counted" or "numbered"), it reminds us of something much more important than counting weeks. It is a season of growth—a time for us to deepen our relationship with Jesus and to allow our faith to mature.

During Ordinary Time, we listen carefully to Jesus' teachings as He reveals who God is and shows us how to live as His disciples. One of His favourite ways of teaching was through parables—simple stories with profound spiritual truths.

The disciples once asked Jesus, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" Jesus explained that these stories helped people who truly wanted to know God to discover the deeper meaning of His message. Those with open hearts would reflect on the stories, ask questions and grow in understanding. Like seeds planted in good soil, God's Word would take root in their lives.

Over the next few Sundays, we will hear several beautiful parables from the Gospel of Matthew.

 First there is the Parable of the Sower, where seeds are scattered onto different types of ground. Jesus reminds us that God's Word is generously given to everyone, but it is the condition of our hearts that determines how well it grows. Just as a gardener prepares the soil before planting, we are called to prepare our hearts through prayer, kindness, forgiveness and listening carefully to God's voice.

This Sunday we will hear how Jesus has described the Kingdom of Heaven in a series of short but powerful parables. He tells us that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field or a pearl of great price—something so valuable that it is worth giving up everything else to possess. 

He also compares God's Kingdom to yeast mixed through dough. Although yeast is tiny and almost invisible, it transforms the whole batch of dough. In the same way, even the smallest acts of faith, love and service can have an extraordinary impact on our families, our school and our community.

These stories continue to speak to us today. They encourage us to ask ourselves:

• What kind of soil am I providing for God's Word? 
• What treasure do I value most in my life? 
• How can my small acts of kindness help God's love grow in our school and beyond? 

As a Catholic school community, we are blessed to hear these Gospel stories regularly both through the weekend masses and in class during the Weekly Gospel Challenges. Each Mass, each classroom prayer and each act of service provides another opportunity for God to plant seeds of faith within us. During this season of Ordinary Time, may we continue to nurture those seeds so that they grow into lives filled with compassion, hope and joy.

May we all have hearts that are good soil, ready to receive God's Word and bear fruit in all that we say and do.

Kathryn Ady

Religious Education Leader