Young children can be very persistent in asking their parents almost unanswerable questions like, “Mum, why are flames hot?” We do our best to answer the questions, but realize that our answers need to match our child’s capacity to understand.
An academic fondly remembered his loving father’s short answer to a question he had asked when he was four. “What makes aeroplanes fly Dad?” His dad replied “Well Son, the engines push them into the air” All those years ago it was a good answer but now it brought a smile to the face of the Professor of Aeronautics!
As we grow up, we hate to admit that we don’t have all the answers! That is particularly true in matters of our faith. Jesus was well aware of this and so he often used parables in his teaching.
St. Mark tells us “Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable” (Mark 4:33-34). Parables stimulate our thinking, invite us to enter into mystery and point us to truths beyond our capability of understanding.
St. Mark tells us “Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable” (Mark 4:33-34). Parables stimulate our thinking, invite us to enter into mystery and point us to truths beyond our capability of understanding.
Mark concludes this passage by telling us that when Jesus and His disciples could escape the crowds and spend quality time alone together, he explained everything. This is paraphrased by Eugene Peterson in The Message “he went over everything, sorting out the tangles, untying the knots.” When we are alone with the Lord in our prayer time do we dare to ask questions, not necessarily expecting a direct answer but possibly a new way of looking at things?
If you want good examples of the way questions and concerns can be raised in prayer you have only to look at the psalms. With the possible exception of Psalm 88 the candid expression of emotions and questions move the Psalmist on to positive ideas and actions. For example, a depressed self awareness rapidly leads the writer and singer to see life in a new positive way in the “chorus” in Psalms 42 and 43
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God”
Dark and difficult times often precipitate matching questions. When we are alone with God we can be frank and ask those questions, and by doing so add reality to our piety. In his darkest moment Jesus uses the question from Psalm 22 “My God, My God why have you forsaken me” but Jesus isn’t just quoting the Psalm this is a very real prayer.
If Jesus can ask this question in his prayer from the cross, can we dare to bring our “tangles and knots” to the Lord in difficult times?
I started by saying that little children often ask questions. Jesus says “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” As God’s little children let’s ask the questions. A simplified reply may come to our mind, or instruction that we can understand, or there may just be silence. In the silence God is still close to us whispering into our hearts…”One day you will understand, but for the time being just remember I am with you always and I love you”.
Roger M. Vaughan