Gospel according to Matthew (13:31-35)
Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.” He spoke to them another parable. “The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened.” All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He spoke to them only in parables, to fulfill what had been said through the prophet: I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world.
Reflection: Over the last couple of weeks, we have heard many parables about the soil and the seed and the Spiritual ground that we choose to live in. What I mean by that, is how we choose to cultivate and nurture the soil and seed in our life and the lives of others. Today’s parable is about the mustard seed or the yeast the woman used to bake. Our lives that we live is just like yeast. We must be the yeast in someone’s life so we could lift them up or as this Gospel states, “Leaven” them back to their self-worth and dignity. Our hearts are just like the Mustard seed. We must allow our heart to be cultivated and nurtured so it can grow to a point that other people come to you for friendship and love.
Think about a $100 dollar bill. If I raised that $100 and asked how many of you would want it with no attachments, how many of you would say yes? Now, if I crumbled up that $100 bill, how many of you would still want it? Then, if I threw it on the floor and stepped on it, would you still want it? Of course, you would! That $100 bill maintains its worth no matter what I did to it. There are times in our life when things are not going well, or you made a bad decision. Or you are living in some kind of darkness. I am not just referring to you, but it could be someone else like a neighbor, a friend, a family member, you get the point. Well, it’s up to us to maintain that worth for them and know that we all are worth something to someone. Sure, we see things are bad, we don’t think about self-worth, but it’s up to us to support each other and remind someone of their worth to you. I believe the Bible calls this …LOVE.
Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, and Priest. He is the Patron Saint of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), Spiritual Exercises, soldiers, and retreats. St. Ignatius stated, “Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul. And the other things on the face of the earth are created for man and that they may help him in prosecuting the end for which he is created. From this it follows that man is to use them as much as they help him on to his end, and ought to rid himself of them so far as they hinder him as to it. For this it is necessary to make ourselves indifferent to all created things in all that is allowed to the choice of our free will and is not prohibited to it; so that, on our part, we want not health rather than sickness, riches rather than poverty, honor rather than dishonor, long rather than short life, and so in all the rest; desiring and choosing only what is most conducive for us to the end for which we are created.” ~Principle and Foundation of the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius
Action of the Day: First. think about your self worth. Think about what you have to offer or what gifts you have to offer. As your day progresses, keep your eyes open and see who needs your compassion, or ear, or guidance, or whatever it is that you have to offer.
Audio Reflection:
