Word to the Wise
Tuesday, October 27, 2020 - Tuesday in the 30th Week in Ordinary Time
[Eph 5:21-33 and Luke 13:18-21]"What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the 'birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.'" Again he said, "To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened." [Luke]
Middle Eastern imagery is known for vivid and broad comparisons. The differences between seeds and plants or between the tiny dust of yeast, the flour and the risen dough are considerable! A biblical "measure" was about seven dry quarts of flour. Three "measures" of flour would be a very large amount! Tiny things can make a big difference, as we are learning about the COVID-19 virus!! One wonders if Jesus would have used the expression "to go viral" to describe the power and spread of the Kingdom of God?
Jesus' preaching of a "kingdom" was occasionally confusing to his disciples and disturbing to political authorities like the Romans and their puppet "kings" in Palestine. The disciples had only those authorities and historical models like David and Solomon to rely on for a definition. James and John definitely thought in terms of political kingdoms when they asked for places of honor. [Matt. 20:21, Mark 10:35-45]. Pilate thought that way as well, and put a sarcastic sign on Jesus' cross calling him the "king of the Jews," to demonstrate what would happen to any rival kings to Caesar!
The natural imagery of the kingdom comes closer to the reality. The kingdom develops from within and can come from very small actions or personal examples. It is spread by those who live their baptismal commitment with integrity and have a personal impact on those around them. The bumper sticker about practicing "random acts of kindness" has a lot of truth to it, but for a committed Christian it is a matter of faith identity. Taking out a single envelope of yeast or a spice bottle of mustard seed to contemplate brings the message into focus, but the seed must be planted and the yeast mixed into flour. That's where effort comes in! AMEN