Word to the Wise
Friday, January 30, 2015 - Friday in the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time
[Heb 10:32-39 and Mark 4:26-34][Jesus] 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 become 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. [Mark]
Time and again the feedback I get from retreats and parish missions includes appreciation for stories and metaphors. Parables fit somewhere in there and it is clear that this is an effective way to preach. Jesus used parables continually in his preaching. The parables were meant to make people see a reality in a new and fresh way. Now, I know that scripture scholars write big books about Jesus' parables. I can only call attention to the one we have today about the Kingdom of God being compared to a mustard seed and say that it speaks to my own experience and perhaps to yours.
I preach in many places. I rarely get to see how my preaching "works" in a given place. Once in awhile I receive a response from the online Beloved Congregation. I have to have confidence that if I plant the seed, God will see to it that a harvest will eventually result. I do get to experience this in visiting former student parishioners as I was able to do in the Washington, D.C. area and Tucson area recently.
The most important thing that I see is that these wonderful folks are themselves spreading the seeds of the kingdom by their own faithful living out of their baptismal commitment. I think this is what Pope Francis means when he calls all of us to be "missionary disciples." Even our smallest effort can yield big results when done in faith. Once more, Jesus' parable accomplishes its goal! AMEN
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