Msgr. Pope on the Power of Metaphors

"Words, while an important part of our toolset, can also get in the way of reality. But how can we live without them? On some level we must allow a deep level of language to help us in sorting out reality; words are something that help us to form a mental picture. In particular, we sometimes turn to metaphors and extended metaphors (parables, allegories, stories, etc.).

"A metaphor is a figure of speech in which two different things are equated for rhetorical effect. It can be used to provide clarity to something unfamiliar by comparing it to something familiar, or to point out hidden similarities between two unlike things. The word comes from the Greek metapherein (meta (beyond) + pherein (to bear or carry)) meaning 'to transfer,t or, more literally, 'to carry something beyond.'

"A metaphor often seeks to capture something deeper by comparing it to something that is more easily grasped. In the metaphor 'All the world’s a stage,' Shakespeare takes a deep concept (the world (or life)) and frames it in the context of something more manageable (a stage). This is not to say that a stage is precisely the equivalent of the world, but rather to capture some truth about the world and highlight it for understanding."

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on metaphors, with emphasis on how they help us understand spiritual (and other) truths.

To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: Nine Brief Examples of the Power of Metaphor (19 MAY 16)