Today we celebrate the memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, who are the parents of the Virgin Mary, the In-Laws of Joseph, and Jesus’ earthly grandparents. Imagine the amount of holiness in one house as they got together for sharing meals, birthdays or special events.
Today’s Gospel gave me the thoughts that I turned into today’s reflection. We all know the story of the mustard seed and the yeast. We know that a little goes a long way. Jesus speaks in parables that are easy to understand, both then and now, so they are really timeless. He also knows his audience, so He speaks in terms of things that they, and we, can understand. They were as good at teaching a lesson 2000 years ago as they are today.
Mustard Seed
I love the parable of the mustard seed being like the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s a tiny item that you wouldn’t notice, if you weren’t looking for it, because it’s one of the tiniest seeds in the plant world. If you do notice it, you know that it grows into a massive plant. That massive plant offers refuge to all sorts of animals and birds, like His Kingdom offers us safe refuge.
It produces clean oxygen to help us breathe, absorbs C02 to help clean up the atmosphere, and it makes even more seeds that are used to make a delicious condiment. It offers shade, to give us some relief on a hot day. Without this Heavenly mustard plant, we have no refuge, no oxygen, no relief, and no spice to our life…plus bland hot dogs and hamburgers, if we take the parable literally. All this goodness, from a small seed, and humble beginnings 2000 years ago.
Yeast
I also like the yeast parable, because a little bit of yeast goes a long way. Just a pinch in water, with some sugar, and it can turn tasteless floury wheat mush into a delicious loaf of bread. What a tasteless mushy world we would live in, without that leavening of the Kingdom of Heaven. The small amount of yeast adds structure to the dough, and turns something bad into something great. Even a small dose of Jesus adds those same benefits to our lives.
The dried yeast can stay on our baking shelf for days, months or even years, but it always comes back into action when asked to activate. It needs to be set in motion, as the yeast doesn’t force itself on us, just like Jesus doesn’t force himself on us. Jesus is ready when we are ready. We need to get him off the shelf, though.
Our Actions
Our actions can have great effects, and a little action can go a long way. Unlike yeast and mustard seeds, our actions can also cause evil and harm. I think that the best way to evangelize, especially for those of us who are amateurs, is to do small, good actions. We can plant the seeds of goodness anywhere in our sphere of influence, and perhaps they will sprout. In confirmation class, many of the teens don’t want to be there. Perhaps some tidbit of information that we plant in those stubborn young brains will pay off later, to sprout into a tree of faith when they become adults. Perhaps a few kind words to a stranger will add some structure or flavor to their life, just like a bit of yeast.
If you happen to have mustard or bread in the next few days, remember the parables in today’s Gospel. And remember that your actions, even little ones, go a long way.
[Readings: Ex 32:15-24, 30-34; Ps 106:19-20, 21-22, 23; Mt 13:31-35]
