Little Seeds of the Kingdom: Ezk 17:22–24; 2 Cor 5:6–10; Mk 4:26–34 (B 11)

 

Little Seeds of the Kingdom

Ezk 17:22–24; 2 Cor 5:6–10; Mk 4:26–34 (B 11)

The Lord is faithful in all his words and loving in all his deeds. Alleluia. 

Children keep on asking questions. They ask more probing questions as they grow into adolescence seeking for some light to their doubt in life. They also realize that certain questions cannot be answered in life and have to reconcile with many unanswered questions in practical life as they grow in adulthood. And the searching will continue in the mysteries of life’s journey.

Jesus teaches us about the mystery of kingdom of God through the parable of mustard seed. The tiny mustard seed sown in the soil by the farmer, literally grows to be a tree which attracts numerous birds because they love the little black mustard seed it produces. God's kingdom works in a similar way. The seed grows unseen and causes a transformation from within. Just as a seed has no power to change itself until it is planted in the ground, so we cannot change our lives to be like God until God gives us the power of his Holy Spirit.

The Jewish author of the book of Qoheleth expresses it well, “Just as you do not know how the breath comes into the bones in the mother’s womb, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything.” With the parable of the seed growing secretly Jesus says that the kingdom of God can be growing among us in ways that we do not fully understand.

There is a reassuring, hopeful message here for all of us who may be tempted to discouragement by the slow progress that the ways of God appear to be making in the world. The spreading of God’s reign is ultimately God’s work and that work is always under way, even when we do not see it or understand it. Our various efforts can seem to bear very insignificant results. The parable assures us that the Lord will see to it that the final harvest from those efforts will be abundant.

Sometimes we have to learn to be content with the small seeds that we can sow, trusting them to bear fruit in ways that will surprise us. The kingdom of God is something very humble and modest in its origins. We need to learn to appreciate little things and small gestures. There are little seeds of the kingdom that all of us can sow, a friendly gesture towards someone in trouble, a welcoming smile for someone who is alone, a sign of closeness for someone who is in despair, a little ray of joy for a heart full of distress. God’s reign comes in power through the seemingly insignificant actions of each of one us. 

‘Neither the one who plants, nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.’