Re-telling the Wheat & Weeds Suburban Zombie Style

Photo by Trista Wynne

On Sunday we looked at the overarching theme of good and evil in a variety of terms.  In the zombie world, we decided that life and death (or more specifically, living-dead) are the terms we're most likely to use.  Speaking of the living-dead is a poignant way of looking at our in-between (and neither) existence. 

In Jesus' day, agricultural existence, and therefore, language, was the norm.  Sunday's gospel lesson came from Matthew 13 where Jesus tells a parable about the Kingdom of God using imagery of wheat and weeds.   I suspect that if He was speaking for today's suburban areas, He might have told a parable based in science or art.  Today, I'd like to relay the parable of the wheat and the weeds in suburban-zombie-friendly language.  Since Jesus was fairly flexible in telling Kingdom parables with either male or female characters (see the parable of the lost coin and that of the lost son in Luke 15, for examples) I'll have a female character represent God here.

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There once was a brilliant Scientist.  She had worked tirelessly for a great length of time, bringing certain elements together, and separating others, until everything was perfect.  Declaring all things good and beautiful, She entered rest and celebration with Her companions.

While they were singing and dancing, an adversary sneaked into the realm of perfection.  Where there was light, he added darkness.  Into the order, he brought chaos.  Finally, into the prized creation of life, the adversary added death.  Then he exited as quietly as he had come.

During a break in the celebration of perfection, the Scientist and Her companions looked at the creation.  Something was awry. 

"How did this happen," one of the assistants asked, "didn't You have everything in perfect order?"

"It was my adversary who caused this," She replied.

"Should we destroy death and darkness, and establish a perfect order again?" the assistants asked.

"Dear ones, you would harm my most valuable creation in the process.  See, they have my fingerprints all over them!  I gave them my very life-breath and formed them by hand.  On account of my adversary, they now embody life and death together, but I will bring beauty and perfection even from this.  No, do not attempt to set things right on your own.  I alone know how to make things well again. 

We will allow death and life to exist side-by-side until the day which I have already chosen.  In my own way, I will remove the sting of death.  Chaos and darkness will no longer have any power over my beautiful creation.  I know that you see death and darkness and chaos, but I created it all out of nothing.  I see things differently. 

Come alongside me.  We will help the precious creatures who now have to wrestle within themselves as well as to strive for the things outside of themselves.  When I enter the realm of this living-death, they will see how much I love them.  Perhaps, as I breathe new life into them, they will begin to see themselves and each other the same way I see them: with eyes of steadfast love."

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What do you think?  Might Jesus have told a similar parable today?

Breathing in the Holy Spirit, may we learn to see through the eyes of Love in Jesus' name.  Amen.