“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel”

The kingdom of God is like a small seed that grew and became a large tree.

The mustard seed and the yeast in today’s gospel parables: small, subtle, almost invisible;

but they keep transforming the world around.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

Ephesians 5:21-33

Let all kinds of submission

To one another become obedience to Christ. So wives, to their husbands as to the Lord.

The husband is the head of his wife, as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of whom he is also the Savior. And as the church submits to Christ, so let a wife submit in everything to her husband.

 

As for you, husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church, and gave himself up for her. He washed her, and made her holy, by baptism in the word. As he wanted a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any blemish, but holy and blameless, he himself had to prepare, and present her to himself.

 

In the same way, husbands should love their wives, as they love their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. And no one has ever hated his body; he feeds and takes care of it. That is just what Christ does for the Church, because we are members of his body.

 

Scripture says: Because of this, a man shall leave his father and mother to be united with his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a very great mystery and I refer to Christ and the Church. As for you, let each one love his wife as himself, and let the wife respect her husband.

 

Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊     

Luke 13:18-21

And Jesus continued, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? Imagine a person who has taken a mustard seed, and planted it in his garden. The seed has grown, and become like a small tree, so that the birds of the air shelter in its branches." And Jesus said again, "What is the kingdom of God like? Imagine a woman who has taken yeast, and hidden it in three measures of flour, until it is all leavened." 

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"Doing small good things."

A small good thing may result in great things. Today's Gospel narrates two parables: the parable of the mustard seed (cf. vv. 18-19) and the parable of the yeast (cf. vv. 20-21).These parables have a parallel account in Matthew 13:31- 33. The account found in the Gospel of Mark tells only of the parable of the mustard seed (cf. Mk. 4:30-32).

 

In the accounts of Mark and Matthew, the parable of the mustard seed is found within their respective chapters that also narrate the parable of the sower. In the Gospel for today, these two parables are framed by the healing story about the crippled woman and Jesus' teaching about the narrow door. We may further reflect that these two parables describe the small beginning of the kingdom of God which would eventually result in unimaginable greatness.

 

In today's Gospel, Jesus twice asked, in a rhetorical manner, as to what he must compare God's kingdom. The two parables appear to answer such a question, describing the reality that anything which is good, no matter how small, will result in a great ending. We are called to participate in the realization of God's kingdom by not getting tired of doing small good things every day.