Daily Reflection – 10/29/19
Sacred Scripture
Jesus said, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a person 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 13:18-21)
Reflection
Yeast is a fascinating thing. It is so small in size and yet has such a powerful effect upon the dough. The yeast works slowly and somewhat miraculously. Little by little the dough rises and is transformed.
That is how the Gospel works in our lives. Right now, the Kingdom of God is first and foremost alive in our hearts. The conversion of our hearts will rarely effectively take place in a day or in a moment. Sure, each day and every moment is important, and there are certainly powerful moments of conversion we can all point to.
But conversion of heart is more like the yeast causing the dough to rise. The conversion of heart is usually something that takes place little by little and step by step. We allow the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives in a continually deepening way and, as we do, we grow deeper and deeper in holiness just as dough rises slowly but surely.
While the parable of the mustard seed dramatizes the presence of the kingdom in its insignificant beginnings, the parable of the yeast reminds us that even small beginnings are powerful and eventually change the character of the whole.
When we pray the words Jesus taught his followers, we invite the coming of God’s kingdom and the doing of God’s will on Earth as it is in heaven. That tiny seed of God’s kingdom takes root in the here and now, in the places where we live and work and raise our families.
Reflect, today, upon this image of yeast causing dough to rise. Do you see this as an image of your soul? Do you see the Holy Spirit working on you little by little? Do you see yourself changing slowly but steadily?
Perhaps today Jesus is reminding us that we are called to be “leaven” in today’s world. As Christians, we are called to share the love of Jesus with every person we meet. The gift is there is a multitude of ways to be leaven in our world. It may be by sharing a smile, offering to help someone with their grocery bags, being a “listening ear” for a friend or family member who is struggling, or laughing with a friend who is struggling.
Today Jesus is telling us that the Kingdom of God is in our midst! Today will we build up the Kingdom of God or will we ignore it? The question is: will we be “leaven” in our corner of the world? Only we can decide!
Prayer of The Day
Lord, I do desire to become holy. I desire to be transformed little by little every day. Help me to allow You to change me every moment of my life so that I can continually walk the path You have laid out for me. Jesus, I trust in You.
Daily Note
That tiny mustard seed can hardly be detected hidden among the clods of dirt and clay where it is planted and yet it holds within it the potential for abundance. In a similar way, we have to search out even the tiny signs of God’s kingdom, confident that the fullness of that kingdom will emerge as we hope and believe and work in this garden that is our Earth. We can create for its abundance by continually finding ways to be leaven to one another.
