A parable is a spoken or written, side-by-side comparison between two realities in order to illustrate and clarify a moral attitude or religious principle. Aristotle and other Greek philosophers and writers used parables; but no one is better known for speaking in parables than our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

Saint Matthew in his gospel (Mt 13:10-13) says that the Apostles approached Jesus and asked Him why He spoke to the people in parables. "Because," He replied, "knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them [the crowds] it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because 'they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.'" (I added the words [the crowds].)

Parables demand reflection for understanding; so only those who honestly explore a parable's meaning can hope to comprehend it. Ultimately, faith in the "teacher" (Jesus) is essential. The Apostles are witnesses to this reality. Although Jesus explained His parables in detail to them, they often---even after deep reflection---had to accept His teachings on faith; and they did. This private time that Jesus spent with His Apostles is one of the actions taken and statements made that demonstrate Jesus' desire to establish a visible and hierarchical church. Jesus invests His authority in the Apostles.

Do you have a favorite parable? More than 30 of Jesus' parables are recorded in the gospels. They include the parable of the Sower, the Wheat and the Weeds, the Mustard Seed, the Leaven, the Good Samaritan, the Widow and the Unjust Judge, the Laborers in the Vineyard, the Lost Coin, the Ten Virgins, the Rich Fool, the Talents, and of course the most famous, the Prodigal Son.

The Prodigal Son is my favorite; but I also find comfort, encouragement, and direction in the parable of the Weeds and the Wheat (Mt 13:24-30, 36-43).

Let's listen as Jesus proposes this parable to the crowds. "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. The slaves of the householder came to him and said, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?' He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' His slaves said to Him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' He replied, 'No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, 'First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.'"

I recently preached at Sunday Mass on this parable. Here's some of the insight I collected on this parable for my homily. (Dr. William Barclay, a Protestant Bible scholar and Dr. Scott Hahn, a Catholic Bible scholar, were two of several scholars I turned to for insight.)

In Old and New Testament times, farmers had to deal with weeds each growing season. The specific weed in the parable of the Wheat and the Weeds was called tare or darnel. In its early growth stage, it was nearly impossible to distinguish from wheat. Once the heads of both had developed, it became easy to distinguish between them. Unfortunately, at this late stage in their growth their roots were so intertwined that a person could not uproot one without uprooting the other. The Jews called this weed "bastard wheat" because it was so similar to real wheat. This bastard wheat was viewed as a kind of wheat that had gone wrong. At harvest time the two "wheats" had to be separated because the tare weed was slightly poisonous. After the two were threshed together, they were spread out on large tables and separated by hand.

It was not uncommon for farmers at odds with other farmers to deliberately sow tare in the other farmer's fields. The people of Galilee would have recognized the everyday-life events Jesus speaks of in this parable; but most of them would not have grasped His purpose for telling it.

Here's what Jesus is teaching us?

1. An enemy power exists in the world; and it patiently seeks to destroy the good seed. Each person's life is affected by good and evil influences. We must constantly be on guard.
2. It takes time to distinguish between those who are in the Kingdom and those who are not. We must be patient and not judge other people as good or bad without knowing all the facts.
3. It tells us to resist the temptation to quickly judge others. Every person will be judged by how he lived his life: from birth to death.
4. Judgment will come for every one. Final judgment comes at the end of one's life; not before we breathe our last breath.
5. Only God has all the facts to discern the good and bad of each person. God alone is the final judge and jury; for nothing we do escapes Him.

Ultimately, in the parable of the Wheat and the Weeds, Jesus wants to convey two messages to His follower: do not judge others; and in the end, every one will be judged by God.

Reread the parables and pick out a favorite. Then do some research to gain a deeper understanding of it. Look at Church teaching and pray to the Holy Spirit for insight and help in understanding the deep meaning of your favorite parable. Anything that deepens our faith and love for Christ and His Church is worth our time and effort.

For more insight read CCC paragraphs 546, 2607. Also, pull out your "Catholic" Bible and reference Mt 13:10-17; Mk 4:10-12; Lk 8:9-10.