THE WORD
Eph 5,21-33 / Lk 13,18-21
Jesus said, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a person 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.’”
Again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed (in) with three measures of wheat our until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”
IN OTHER WORDS
People have the tendency sometimes to notice and give importance to things that are big while deeming small things as insignificant. There seem to be a belief that bigger is better. In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses small things to illustrate the Kingdom of God: the tiny mustard seed and a small quantity of yeast. However, their insignificant size is contrasted with their astonishing expansion and growth. The former grows into a large plant attracting birds to make lodging in its branches. And the latter leavens a large amount of flour.
The mustard seed illustrates that God’s Kingdom will grow into a vast empire in which all kinds of people and nations will come together and nd shelter in God. This is typified by the birds taking shelter beneath its branches. In the case of the yeast, the leaven is small but brings a change to the whole character of the dough. This shows that the Kingdom starts from the smallest beginnings.
There was just a small band of disciples, dedicating their lives to follow the Lord, who eventually proclaimed such Kingdom bringing its growth throughout the world. We, perhaps, are among the professing Christians who are already enjoying the presence of the
Kingdom of God in our midst. However, such Kingdom for some may just remain a static thing that needs to be set in motion. We are therefore being called to unleash its tremendous power: to commit ourselves to planting the mustard seed and to be the leaven of the Kingdom wherever we are.
We need not to think of big ways in doing this. Our little ways may do as long as they are done with faithfulness. Mother Teresa of Calcutta would say, “Little things are indeed little, but to be faithful in little things is a great thing.”
- Fr. Dennis Testado, SVD | Liceo del Verbo Divino, Tacloban City
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience. The Word in other words 2016
