1. “He left the house and sat by the sea” (Mt 13:1).
Jesus is the Master; he is also the Master in the way he looks at nature. In the Gospels, there are numerous passages that present him immersed in the natural environment, and if we pay attention, we can see in his behaviour a clear invitation to a contemplative attitude towards the wonders of creation. This is the case, for example, in this Sunday's Gospel account. We see Jesus sitting by the Sea of Tiberias, almost absorbed in meditation.
The divine Master, before dawn or after sunset, and at other decisive moments of his mission, loved to withdraw to a solitary and quiet place, apart from others (cf. Mt 14:23; Mk 1:35; Lk 5:16), so that he could be alone with his heavenly Father and talk with him. In those moments, he certainly did not fail to contemplate creation as well, to gather from it a reflection of divine beauty.
2. His disciples and a large crowd joined him on the shore of the lake. “He spoke to them at length in parables” (Mt 13:3). Jesus spoke “in parables”, that is, using events from everyday life and elements drawn from his contemplation of creation.
But why does Jesus speak "in parables"? This is what the disciples ask themselves, and we ask ourselves with them. The Master responds, echoing Isaiah: So that they may see but not perceive, hear but not understand (cf. Mt 13:13-15). What does this mean? Why speak in parables and not "openly" (cf. Jn 16:29)?
3. Dear brothers and sisters! In reality, creation itself is like a great parable. Is not everything that exists – the cosmos, the earth, living beings, man – a single, immense parable? And who is its author, if not God the Father, with whom Jesus converses in the silence of nature? Jesus speaks in parables because this is God's "style". The only-begotten Son has the same way of acting and speaking as his heavenly Father. Whoever sees him sees the Father (cf. Jn 14:9), whoever listens to him listens to the Father. And this concerns not only the content, but also the manner; not only what he says, but also how he says it.
Yes, the 'how' is important because it reveals the deep intention of the speaker. If the relationship is meant to be dialogical, the way of speaking must respect and promote the freedom of the interlocutor. This is why the Lord speaks in parables: so that those who listen may be free to accept his message; free not only to hear it, but above all to understand it, to interpret it and to recognise in it the intention of the One who speaks. God addresses man in such a way that it is possible to encounter him in freedom.
4. Creation is, so to speak, the great divine story. However, the profound meaning of this marvellous book of creation would have remained difficult for us to decipher if Jesus – the Word made man – had not come to 'explain it' to us, enabling our eyes to recognise more easily the imprint of the Creator in creatures.
Jesus is the Word that holds the meaning of all that exists. He is the Word in whom the 'name' of everything rests, from the smallest particle to the immense galaxies. He himself is therefore the 'Parable' full of grace and truth (cf. Jn 1:14), through which the Father reveals himself and his will, his mysterious plan of love and the ultimate meaning of history (cf. Eph 1:9-10). In Jesus, God has told us everything he had to say.
[Pope John Paul II, homily at St. Stephen of Cadore, 11 July 1993]
Dialogo e Solstizio
Jul 16, 2025
Written by
don Giuseppe Nespeca
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Why does Jesus speak in parables?
don Giuseppe Nespeca
Giuseppe Nespeca è architetto e sacerdote. Cultore della Sacra scrittura è autore della raccolta "Due Fuochi due Vie - Religione e Fede, Vangeli e Tao"; coautore del libro "Dialogo e Solstizio".
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.Simon, a Pharisee and rich 'notable' of the city, holds a banquet in his house in honour of Jesus. Unexpectedly from the back of the room enters a guest who was neither invited nor expected […] (Pope Benedict)
Simone, fariseo e ricco “notabile” della città, tiene in casa sua un banchetto in onore di Gesù. Inaspettatamente dal fondo della sala entra un’ospite non invitata né prevista […] (Papa Benedetto)
«The Russian mystics of the first centuries of the Church gave advice to their disciples, the young monks: in the moment of spiritual turmoil take refuge under the mantle of the holy Mother of God». Then «the West took this advice and made the first Marian antiphon “Sub tuum Praesidium”: under your cloak, in your custody, O Mother, we are sure there» (Pope Francis)
«I mistici russi dei primi secoli della Chiesa davano un consiglio ai loro discepoli, i giovani monaci: nel momento delle turbolenze spirituali rifugiatevi sotto il manto della santa Madre di Dio». Poi «l’occidente ha preso questo consiglio e ha fatto la prima antifona mariana “Sub tuum praesidium”: sotto il tuo mantello, sotto la tua custodia, o Madre, lì siamo sicuri» (Papa Francesco)
The Cross of Jesus is our one true hope! That is why the Church “exalts” the Holy Cross, and why we Christians bless ourselves with the sign of the cross. That is, we don’t exalt crosses, but the glorious Cross of Christ, the sign of God’s immense love, the sign of our salvation and path toward the Resurrection. This is our hope (Pope Francis)
La Croce di Gesù è la nostra unica vera speranza! Ecco perché la Chiesa “esalta” la santa Croce, ed ecco perché noi cristiani benediciamo con il segno della croce. Cioè, noi non esaltiamo le croci, ma la Croce gloriosa di Gesù, segno dell’amore immenso di Dio, segno della nostra salvezza e cammino verso la Risurrezione. E questa è la nostra speranza (Papa Francesco)
The basis of Christian construction is listening to and the fulfilment of the word of Christ (Pope John Paul II)
Alla base della costruzione cristiana c’è l’ascolto e il compimento della parola di Cristo (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
«Rebuke the wise and he will love you for it. Be open with the wise, he grows wiser still; teach the upright, he will gain yet more» (Prov 9:8ff)
«Rimprovera il saggio ed egli ti sarà grato. Dà consigli al saggio e diventerà ancora più saggio; istruisci il giusto ed egli aumenterà il sapere» (Pr 9,8s)
These divisions are seen in the relationships between individuals and groups, and also at the level of larger groups: nations against nations and blocs of opposing countries in a headlong quest for domination [Reconciliatio et Paenitentia n.2]
Queste divisioni si manifestano nei rapporti fra le persone e fra i gruppi, ma anche a livello delle più vaste collettività: nazioni contro nazioni, e blocchi di paesi contrapposti, in un'affannosa ricerca di egemonia [Reconciliatio et Paenitentia n.2]
But the words of Jesus may seem strange. It is strange that Jesus exalts those whom the world generally regards as weak. He says to them, “Blessed are you who seem to be losers, because you are the true winners: the kingdom of heaven is yours!” Spoken by him who is “gentle and humble in heart”, these words present a challenge (Pope John Paul II)
È strano che Gesù esalti coloro che il mondo considera in generale dei deboli. Dice loro: “Beati voi che sembrate perdenti, perché siete i veri vincitori: vostro è il Regno dei Cieli!”. Dette da lui che è “mite e umile di cuore”, queste parole lanciano una sfida (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
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