Mt 13:31–35
Another parable he put before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened.” All this Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed he said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”
Through simple signs, our Lord accomplishes great things in our lives. To help us understand this, He used parables, because there is much we cannot yet fully comprehend in God’s light.
Let us consider, for example, baptism. What a simple gesture it is, and yet what great significance it holds. The person shares in salvation and is born again in the Spirit. The life of God takes root within them. Everything is given and prepared by God so that a person can organically grow into their great calling as a child of God.
If this seed of divine life finds the right nourishment within, then one’s life can become a “tall tree” for many, a point of reference for those seeking the Kingdom of God.
God is pleased to work in this way. Even in nature, He shows us that something great, meant to grow and mature, arises from what is small and often inconspicuous. So it is with supernatural life as well. God Himself has sown the seed. He has given us His Word, and despite its simplicity, it has the great power to enlighten people. It can penetrate deep within us and guide our path from that point on. If the Word strikes a person at just the right moment, and they do not close themselves off to grace, they may leave everything behind to serve only the Kingdom of God.
Jesus’ simple command to His disciples, “Follow me,” led them to leave everything behind and become “fishers of men,” who would then, in turn, scatter the seed of the Word everywhere.
The parable of the leaven tells us the same thing. The Kingdom of Heaven initially seems hidden, for it does not come with grand gestures and pomp. It does not draw attention to itself from the outside, so that people might infer its supposed greatness from the natural force of powerful impressions. Instead, the Word penetrates us from within, in secret, and “leavens” the reality of the world that already exists with the Spirit of God.
God often speaks to the depths of the soul, and when His Word finds a receptive place within us, it accomplishes what God sent it to do and does not return empty. God’s light is kindled within us and will never be extinguished if we remain in the life of grace.
The Word of the Lord can also comfort us, even when, from our perspective, it may seem to take a long time before we can perceive the fruits of our labor in the Lord. Some missionaries saw virtually no fruits in their lifetimes, yet many people were converted to the Lord after their death. Perhaps we have been praying for years, for example, for the conversion of a particular person, and have seen no signs of positive change in that person. The “seed of our prayer” seems not to have sprouted, and we are tempted to think that our prayer is of little use. We may even accuse ourselves of not praying earnestly or decisively enough.
This calls for patience and trust. Sometimes the leaven takes a long time to work. Or, to stay with the first image, the growth isn’t always visible. Yet, with God’s help, let us sow the seeds. Growth and fruitfulness are in God’s hands. Let us be content with that!
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Meditation on the reading of the day in the Novus Ordo:
https://en.elijamission.net/the-lords-day/
Meditation on the Gospel of the Day in the Novus Ordo: