Gospel: Luke 13:18-21
And Jesus continued, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? Imagine a person who has taken a mustard seed, and planted it in his garden. The seed has grown, and become like a small tree, so that the birds of the air shelter in its branches.”
And Jesus said again, “What is the kingdom of God like? Imagine a woman who has taken yeast, and hidden it in three measures of flour, until it is all leavened.”

Reflections
“What is the kingdom of God like?”
The words of Jesus today reminds me of his remark in Luke 17:21, “The kingdom of God is among (or within) you.” We do not need to look far in other words; we only need to see within ourselves and find that God reigns there. At first this reign of God within us can hardly be noticed, like a mustard seed whose size an unaided eye can barely see. Then it grows and gains more hold over our lives and we feel that like the birds we find benefit in its presence; it fires, guides, and inspires. Then we begin to see a turnabout. In silence and in God’s grace, we become the kingdom of God incarnate. Then like yeast, in spite of our insignificance, we integrate ourselves into the dough, which is the world. From within we affect it, we penetrate it, and we transform it, leavened, to be- come his kingdom.
God has a beautiful purpose for the world. He longs to see the world delight in his reign and presence. But God needs instruments to accomplish his plan. We are these instruments. But first we must see this kingdom at work within us and then make the witness of our lives become a force to change the world.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2019