Brothers and sisters, in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells two short parables
about the mystery of the Kingdom of God. He illustrates his teaching using
daily realities from farming. We have experienced the idea of planting a seed
in soil. It grows slowly. The farmer only sees the sprout and the grown plant.
What happens inside the soil remains a mystery. Although today science allows,
for experimental purposes, the use of devices to monitor seeds at their various
stages of growth. Yet, even in this case, what happens with the seeds goes
beyond what science can measure and understand. And likewise it is with the
Kingdom of God. We cannot perceive the entire mystery with our naked eyes. It
required the eyes of faith, the eyes of the heart.
Jesus further illustrates his teaching using the "image of a
mustard seed". A very tiny seed that grows into a very huge tree is
perhaps the most powerful image to illustrate how the Kingdom of God is growing
silently and slowly in the midst of all the events of the world today. So,
Jesus is actually speaking directly to our deepest anxieties and hopes as
disciples.
In the first parable, Jesus says the kingdom of God is like a man who
scatters seed on the ground. Then he goes to bed. He wakes up. Days pass. And
without fully understanding how the seed sprouts and grows. The earth itself “produces
by itself,” Jesus says. The farmer doesn’t control the process. He doesn’t
pull the stalks upward to make them grow faster. He simply trusts the seed and
the soil, and God’s hidden power within them.
How often do we act as if the growth of God’s kingdom depends entirely
on us? We worry when our efforts seem fruitless, when our prayers feel
unanswered, when our witness is ignored, when our communities struggle. But
Jesus reminds us: the kingdom grows not by our strength, but by God’s
faithfulness. Our role is to sow, to live with integrity, to speak truth in
love, to show mercy, and then to trust. The rest is in God’s hands.
Then Jesus tells us the kingdom is like a mustard seed, the smallest of
all seeds, yet it becomes a great shrub where birds find shelter. This is a story about disproportionate hope. It has nothing to do with "instant prosperity" preached by some people in our world today. God
doesn’t need grand platforms or perfect people. He works through small acts of
faith: a kind word, a patient silence, a decision to forgive, a quiet “yes” to
His call. From such tiny beginnings, something expansive takes root, offering
shade and refuge to others.
It is important also to note that Jesus didn’t preach these parables to theologians or
rulers. He spoke to ordinary people, farmers, fishermen, mothers, laborers, who
understood seeds and soil. It means that He meets us where we are. And He calls us to be faithful in the ordinary activities.
So, if you feel discouraged today, if your efforts seem small, if your
faith feels weak, remember: God specializes in small beginnings. He doesn’t ask
for perfection. He asks for our trust. So, let us keep sowing the seed of the
word of God, starting in your life; allow it to take root in your heart and
mature. The fruits of the Word of God take time and, therefore, require
patience. The same God who brings harvest from a hidden seed is at work
in you, and I, in our families, in our communities.
And what should you do when you can’t see the growth? We should remain calm, reminding
ourselves that the word of God will yield its fruits at the appointed time. Our
duty is to contribute to the work of God by allowing His word to transform our
lives day by day. The kingdom is growing, even now. Because the battle, the
harvest, the victory… belongs to the Lord.
Amen.
Let us Pray:
Lord Jesus, sow your word in our
hearts. Teach us to trust your hidden work in us and in the world. May we learn
to be faithful in small things. Give us patience while your grace takes root
and grows. Make our lives a shelter for others. Bring your harvest in us, in
our families, and in our parish. You live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
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