I am sure that you have heard about the lowly mustard seed, the smallest of seeds which when grown becomes the largest of shrubs (Matthew 13:31–32). What is going on with this seed? Doesn't it know that it is small? Where did it get that attitude that it could grow tall and big? What strikes me here is that this little seed has a great attitude of hope! It is not deterred by its size or the difficult prospects of growing tall and large. Jesus said that with faith the size of a mustard seed, you could move a mountain. Our Judeo-Christian tradition is like such a seed. The Israelites being pursued by the army of the Egyptians, leave slavery in Egypt for the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Israel. What a divinely inspired hope! It is like the hope of the four friends who lower the crippled man through the roof to see Jesus (Luke 5:17-39). Or the Virgin Mary to tell the servants at the wedding at Cana, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:1–12) Or the actions of Simon Peter and his brother Andrew when Jesus says to them to follow him, they drop their nets and follow (Matthew 4:18–22). Aren’t we all followers of Christ because of such a hopeful word or thought or action? Aren’t we all mustard seeds with an attitude of hope? Hope for joy, hope for an end to war, hope for the solution to our difficulties, hope for the best diagnosis, hope for reconciliation, hope for our loved one turning back to God. I say let us continue to hope! Let us pour our energy into hope for those good things our God promises. The Israelites found the promised land. The man walked out of the house with the hole in the roof. The wine at the wedding was the best. Let us hope in God and see what good things can come of it!
Blessings,
Deacon Steve
“People will go three or four leagues to earn thirty pence, while they will not take thirty steps to hear Mass on a week -day.”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars
