Every Sunday, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
Jesus uses two images in today’s Gospel to help us understand God’s Kingdom.
He says that the Kingdom of God is like a seed that sprouts and then grows, almost unnoticed over time, to produce fruit that will be harvested and eaten. It might be slow, but what is growing among us is useful — even necessary.
Likewise, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed that starts off as the tiniest of seeds — but over time it becomes the largest of plants. It eventually provides shade and shelter for the birds of the sky. Again, the Kingdom is useful — even if it is often hidden within something that is hardly noticeable!
Elsewhere, Jesus told us that the Kingdom of God was “within us” (Luke 17:21). We don’t have to look very far to find it. We carry it with us wherever we take our faith in Jesus. It might be unnoticed by others, but it can do great things for them.
If we put the two images of the quiet, but steady growth of the Kingdom, together with Jesus’ saying that the presence of the Kingdom is within us, we can have hope that our progress in the spiritual life might be slow, but it will be sure, so long as we point ourselves toward God’s Son and nourish ourselves on God’s Spirit.
The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults says this: “The Kingdom of God is (Jesus’) presence among human beings calling them to a new way of life as individuals and as a community. This is a Kingdom of salvation from sin and a sharing in divine life. It is the Good News that results in love, justice, and mercy for the whole world. The Kingdom is realized partially on earth and permanently in Heaven. We enter this Kingdom through faith in Christ, baptismal initiation into the Church, and life in communion with all her members.”
So, to be clear, God’s Kingdom is growing in our midst, and it will not stop growing until it has reached its fulfillment. It is both useful and necessary for our salvation. We don’t always see its growth. It takes time — and patience — to come to maturity and bear fruit. But when it does — it is very good indeed.
What will the Kingdom look like within us when it is full grown? We will just have to wait and see.
And so we pray, “Thy Kingdom come.”
And let’s thank God for the men who are fathers to us, those who have shown God’s fatherly love to us, and pray for the repose of our deceased fathers. Happy Father's Day.
Have a blessed week everyone.