Newsletter June 17th 2018

The second parable in today’s gospel reminds us that God can be at work in surprising ways and places. There is a stark contrast between the tiny mustard seed (the smallest of all the seeds), and the large shrub that grows from it, in whose branches the birds of the air can nest. Insignificant beginnings can lead to a wonderful result. The kingdom of God is like that; it often is expressed initially in what is small and seemingly insignificant. We can feel that our own faith is insignificant, as small as a mustard seed. Jesus assures us that the Spirit is working in and through such faith. Our faith can appear as small as a mustard seed; but such hope is enough for the Lord to work with. Our various efforts can seem to bear very insignificant results. The parable assures us that the final harvest from those efforts will be abundant.

We must learn to be content with the small contribution that we ourselves can make towards a better world. The kingdom of God is being worked out in quiet and humble ways. We need to learn to appreciate little things and small gestures. We may not have to be heroes or martyrs, but we are called to put a little dignity into our own little corner of the world. There are little seeds of the kingdom that all of us can sow, a friendly gesture towards someone in trouble, a welcoming smile for someone who is alone, a sign of closeness for someone in despair, a little ray of joy for a person in distress. God’s reign comes in power through the seemingly insignificant actions of each of one us.