The Bard’s Brain

Catching consciences through plays and parables  

Mark 12:1-12  

Jesus began to speak to the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey. At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants to obtain from them some of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come, put the tenants to death, and give the vineyard to others. They were seeking to arrest him, but they feared the crowd, for they realized that he had addressed the parable to them. So they left him and went away.   

          Do you like to read Shakespeare? If you don’t but you’d like to get into the Bard’s brain (Shakespeare is sometimes simply called “The Bard’), and begin to read his plays, I recommend a website called “No Fear Shakespeare.” They take Shakespeare’s plays and put them into more palatable prose, easier to understand. For me personally, the real genius of Shakespeare is that through the medium of plays and story-telling, he awakens our conscience. We can see our own sins writ large across the scenes and stars on the stage.   

          In Shakespeare’s most popular play, called “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark,” Hamlet says, “The play’s the thing wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.” Hamlet has to prove that his uncle murdered his father, so he wonders aloud: “I have heard that guilty creatures sitting at a play Have, by the very cunning of the scene, Been struck so to the soul, that presently, They have proclaimed their malefactions” (Hamlet, II, 2). Did you catch all that? In other words, a play will help prove his uncle’s guilt. But the point of the play is not only to catch the uncle’s conscience, but also the audience’s conscience, including your’s and mine. That’s why you should have no fear of Shakespeare; he will help you catch your conscience.   

          In the gospel today, we see Jesus trying to catch consciences, too, but our Lord uses parables rather than plays. Jesus tells the parable of a man who plants a vineyard, and leases it to tenants who take advantage of the owner, abusing his servants and finally killing his son. Now, did Jesus catch any consciences with his parable? You betcha. The last line reads: “The chief priests, scribes and elders were seeking to arrest him, but they feared the crowd, for they realized that he had addressed the parable to them.” You see, the chief priests, scribes and elders’ consciences were cut to the quick, but sadly, they only hardened their hearts. It’s one thing to catch a conscience; it’s another thing to change a heart.   

          My friends, unfortunately, a lot of people do fear Shakespeare and so don’t read his plays. But fortunately, there are many modern plays that catch consciences, too, and they are called “movies.” For instance, if you’re having marriage problems, I highly recommend watching the movie, “Fireproof.” Know anyone with marriage problems? If you don’t believe in modern-day miracles, you might enjoy seeing the movie, “Miracles from Heaven.” If you doubt the existence of God – you’re an atheist – then watch, “God’s Not Dead.” If you need your faith restored in the underdog, and how God helps the weak, then watch, “Facing the Giants.” If you want to learn how to break out of a maximum-security prison, just watch “Shawshank Redemption.” Just kidding! You see, modern movies, like plays and parables, are not just good stories, they’re trying to awaken consciences.   

          “The play’s the thing wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king,” and everyone else’s conscience, too.   

          Praised be Jesus Christ!