HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 3RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR I. (1)

HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 3RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR I.

THEME: DESCRIBING THE KINGDOM OF GOD

BY: Fr. Mike Lagrimas
St. Michael the Archangel Parish
Diocese of Novaliches

Mk 4:26‐34

Jesus said, “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.”
He said, “To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.” With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

In the Gospel today, Jesus gives two parables that describe the kingdom of God. In both parables, He uses the image of the seed. Although the seed appears small and insignificant, it cannot be disparaged, for it has inner life and potency, a great capacity to become something big, powerful and fruitful.

The first parable talks about the nature of the seed. When planted by the farmer, it grows and matures without any human intervention: “the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.” Night and day the process of growth continues whether the farmer is awake or asleep. It takes time for the seed to sprout and grow. The rain and the sun make them grow at the proper rate. One cannot make it grow faster than its natural process. A good farmer is patient. He knows when to plant, when to water, when to fertilize and when to reap. Then the outcome is certain. Once the seed is ripe, it is for the farmer to bring in the harvest.

God’s Kingdom is like that. Nobody knows how it grows and operates. But it is present in our world, and will continue its silent and unnoticed growth until the day of the harvest, when God will divide the good and the bad at the Last Judgment. “And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.ʺ And that is where we come in: to bring in the harvest which has been planted in the hearts of people.

The second parable is about the mustard seed, the smallest seed of the earth. “But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.” God’s kingdom starts small and hidden. But its growth continues until eternity. While all the other kingdoms of man have come and disappeared, God’s Kingdom just continues to grow and become bigger until the complete fulfillment of the plan of God for the salvation of mankind.

The parables in the Gospel today teach us to trust in God’s will and loving providence. We cannot understand fully the unfolding of God’s Kingdom, but it is there. We do not know how it grows, but it continues to grow. The reason is because it is the will of God. We only need to believe in Him and follow His will. In the midst of life’s uncertainties and troubles, we need to have complete trust and confidence in the power of the Kingdom to survive, grow and bear fruit until its final and definitive victory.

Let us close with the Psalm Prayer from the Divine Office: “You command the seed to rise, Lord God, though the farmer is unaware. Grant that those who labor for you may trust not in their own work but in your help. Remembering that the land is brought to flower not with human tears but with those of Your Son, may the Church rely only upon your gifts.”

Fr. Mike Lagrimas
St. Michael the Archangel Parish
Diocese of Novaliches

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