Seed Grows of Itself

Today's Reflections

 

Seed Grows of Itself 

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Mk 4:26-34

²⁶[Jesus] said, “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land ²⁷and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. ²⁸Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. ²⁹And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.”

³⁰He said, “To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? ³¹It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. ³²But 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.” ³³With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. ³⁴Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

Reflection:

He knows not how. The point of the first parable in the Gospel is: God works in hidden ways. God’s reign is established and grows in the heart of people in a hidden way. Much of what God does is seen, but even more lies hidden from human observation. We grow in holiness without us noticing it. Christ’s values take root and shape in human society almost imperceptibly and then take over. If St. Peter were to come back to earth, what a change he would see in the Church founded on the prophets and the apostles. The kingdom of God is mabunga (fruitful) and not mabongga (noisy).

God also loves to start small, like a grain of mustard seed. But God’s kingdom spreads out to all the nations, as witnessed by the spread of the Church, though his kingdom is bigger than the Church.

Don’t be afraid to start small.

Trust God to bless your efforts

and multiply their fruits.