7/31/2023 (Monday) Today’s gospel reading: Matthew 13:31-35
31 Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field.
32 It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.”
33 He spoke to them another parable. “The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened.”
34 All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He spoke to them only in parables,
35 to fulfill what had been said through the prophet: I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world.
7/31/2023 (Monday) Today’s gospel reflection: Matthew 13:31-35
Small but Growing
We may think that we are small, powerless, and insignificant. Yet being small means we have room to grow and being powerless means we need to depend on the Almighty. Being insignificant means we have the freedom of movement without security guards.
What is important is that we have the desire to grow in faith, hope and love. To grow means we start small. Even in the business world, starting as a small entity is a good advice. In that way, we learn first the nitty-gritty of every situation and then little by little we move in an upward trajectory.
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That small seed is at first insignificant. When planted however, it grows and as Jesus said, it becomes a large and useful tree. Yet the process of growth for the seed is not an easy endeavor. It is first buried in the ground where it is dark and cold. It dies to itself literally! Yet the hand of God is there to help it germinate. As soon as it arise from the ground, it is exposed to the elements – rain, strong winds, the hot sunshine and yes, the threat of careless human beings that can step on it. Yet it continues to grow.
Just like the growth of the mustard seed, our journey towards the Kingdom may be difficult and long. Along the way, we are exposed to the elements of temptations, persecutions and other forms of suffering. Yet there is no other journey worth taking. We stumble often but the grace of God is sufficient for us to rise up again. We learn and with a smile, we move on knowing that we don’t travel alone.
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