it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day
and the seed would sprout and grow,
he knows not how.
Of its own accord the land yields fruit,
first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,
for the harvest has come.”
He said,
“To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade." With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.
REFLECTION
In today’s Gospel, Our Lord speaks about the Kingdom of God. This kingdom means not so much a place, but rather a tone of mind. The first parable is about a gardener who scatters seed and eventually the lands yield fruit. This represents the power of the Gospel, which had humble beginnings, starting with the Apostles and their preaching. But eventually, it came to fill the world, and now the Name of Jesus Christ is glorified throughout the world.
The growth of the plant also represents the Gospel taking root in our hearts. First, the blade sprouts up when our heart has good desires. Then, the ear appears, which represents us doing virtuous actions. Finally, the grain appears when the Gospel brings our virtuous works to full maturity and perfection. Let us always ask the Lord to make the Gospel take strong roots within our hearts so that we may love God more
Comments