Parable of the mustard seed
(Mr. 4.30-32; Lk.13.18-19)
31 Another parable he spoke to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field;
32 which indeed is the smallest of all the seeds; but when it has grown, it is the largest of the vegetables, and it becomes a tree, in such a way that the birds of the sky come and make nests in its branches.
There will never have been so much talk about something as small as when we brought out the excellences of the famous mustard seed that Jesus used as an example to accommodate himself to the understanding of his disciples.
Go diplomacy that uses the evangelist Mark to describe the inexhaustible pedagogical patience of the Lord when explaining things to his followers: "accommodate to understand." It is something like saying "so that they will find out once and for all ..."
This afternoon, when my daughter asks me when she needs to return after going out with friends, I will try to "accommodate myself" so that she assumes that 11 o'clock at night is not too early, but that it is time correct for a Friday night, a girl her age is already back. I hope I do not have to resort to the mustard seed to explain it ...
This week has gone from seed the thing.
I have read a lot these days about what it means to have a grain of faith deposited in your heart and the consequences it has on each one to let it bear fruit.
From the grain that could fall on fertile or stony ground, to the light that does not shine if you hide it under the bed and end with the mustard that springs up and grows without knowing how, all the teachings of this week of Christ speak of fixed-term investments with future performance.
How badly that sounds of investments with future performance when we contextualize it in an economic environment. But are we really talking about future performance when we talk about faith?
For unbelievers, Christians are moved by an interest that is none other than obtaining a reward for a future life that we do not know. Simplistic and interested explanation for those who find it hard to accept that God is someone other than the creator of our universe because they do not understand that He lives with us today.
To live pending of the result is complicated. To live in faith is to live by living. It is feeling mustard since we know we have grain. Feel strong even if we are tiny in the face of our day-to-day problems.
Look at the following image. This is a field of mustard flowers in all its splendor.
What were a few months ago insignificant black balls that had to be taken with great care helped by the tips of two fingers, have turned into splendid yellow flowers that draw a beautiful landscape.
Today I am going to take the message of this parable as an injection of self-esteem. Not to believe that I am important because I will be a flower starting from a miserable grain, but because when it has managed to sprout I will have in my hands the power to transmit the aroma of Christ with my presence.
Do you know how important it is that they can smell Christ through you?
Do you know how many grains will be able to sprout with your single presence once He springs up in you?
God will not grant us all to be the highest flower of the crop, but we will be aware that no matter how small we are, that thick carpet of the image needs each one of us.
Together with you, with you, this week the Lord has left you a box of seeds so that you can distribute them. We have been sown and now it is our turn to sow.
