October 25, 2022 – Luke 13:18-21
Today’s Gospel presents two short parables about the kingdom of God.
The word kingdom translates the Greek word “Basel,” which also means a network of relationships as well as a place. God’s Basel is manifested wherever people accept God’s will in their lives and in their relationships with one another, working together to bring God’s love and justice to the world. The Church Father, Origen, states that: JESUS IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus expects two things from us: the first is that we grow in the love He has put in our hearts and the second is that we persevere in the journey of faith until we meet Him, “until it was all
leavened…” Only when we come face to face with Him would we know whether our dough is worthy to be “food for Heaven.”
Jesus speaks of the Kingdom of God with images drawn from daily life, small things, almost trivial. Impossible not to see a contrast between the greatness he announces and the images he uses. Jesus uses images that refer to smallness: the grain of
mustard is thrown into the ground and is not seen; the yeast is mixed with the flour and is not seen. Not only littleness, but also hiddenness. The Kingdom of God does not come through those sensational events that we humanly expect, but through daily life. Eyes that are not used to looking for God in small things will never be able to recognize Him; they will only see the things that shine. God, on the other hand, follows other ways: he does not pass through man-made structures, but manifests himself and grows there where there is a humanity that welcomes him and lets him into its life giving him the place he deserves, that of Father. The kingdom of God is the heart of man where God can dwell, not as just any guest, but as the one who fills life.
The vitality of the mustard seed is none other than the power of the Cross… and, if the Church still holds, it is because of the power of the Gospel, that Gospel that has existed for centuries and will always exist “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever!” (Heb. 13:8). Jesus was never concerned about pleasing the world, and I don’t think that if He were physically present today, we would see Him conform to the times… or do we think that to please the world He would have participated in “Big Brother?”
Life messages
The reality is that the world loves what is its: selfishness, money, sensuality, the good life, the double life… The Church and true Christians, who are not of the world, should ultimately be hated by the world… One should be careful and concerned when the world loves a Christian or a minister of God… it means something is wrong… “If you were of the world, the world would love what is its own; but since you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, that is why the world hates you” (Jn. 15:19).
Fr Joby Kavungal RCJ
San Lorenzo Parish, TREZZANO SUL NAVIGLIO – MILAN