10/31/2023 (Tuesday) Today’s gospel reading: Luke 13:18-21

18 Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it?
19 It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and ‘the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.’”
20 Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”

10/31/2023 (Tuesday) Today’s gospel reflection / homily / sermon: Luke 13:18-21

As we look around us, we see all kinds of challenges – violence, murder, broken relationships, drunkenness, immoralities, and calamities. There are a thousand and one reasons to be despondent. We ask, where is the kingdom of God? We know that in His Kingdom, there is joy, hope, peace and love. Why can’t we experience it?

Just like a growing plant, there are challenges – strong winds, flood, too much heat, lack of water, lack of soil nutrients, and plain human cruelty that tramples on it. Yet somehow, the plant grows into a tree and provides shade, bears fruits and becomes useful to man. Jesus likens the Kingdom of God to this plant. It started as a seed He planted and it may not be visible to many, it has grown since then and it is still growing. Yes there are many challenges and partly, you and I are responsible for these problems. Either we started them or we are not doing anything to solve these challenges.

The message of the gospel reading is for us to become part of the Kingdom of God and to take responsibility in making it grow and be visible in the world. It is a call for each one us to continue planting the seed of goodness, of compassion, of love and of peace. It is challenging us to be the yeast that makes the flour become bread to feed the world. If we cannot do something good, let us stop doing evil. At least, we do not become the reason for others to struggle.

There are many things that we can do to make this world a fertile ground for the Kingdom of God to grow. We can pray; we can smile; we can help; we can donate money to charities or we can become president or prime minister and advance the cause of freedom, peace and real progress and development. Actually, we can do something whoever we are and no matter what position we are in.

Moreover, let us never be distracted by the prevalence of evil around us. Let us always keep the faith that in due time, evil is no more and the Kingdom of God is completely established everywhere.

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