Luke 13:18-21 NRSVue

¹⁸He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? ¹⁹It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”

²⁰And again he said, “To what should I compare the kingdom of God? ²¹It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

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Some thoughts on this scripture

Reflection
When Jesus told the parables of the mustard seed and the yeast, what questions was he addressing? Were people frustrated at the lack of signs of the Kingdom of God in the world around them?

Reflection
Am I frustrated with the slow speed of the coming of the Kingdom in and around me?

Reflection
What do the everyday images of kitchen and garden say to me? Can I let Jesus give me some real encouragement?

Reflection
To the crowds who expected the kingdom of God to come with fanfare and drum-beat, Jesus offers two wonderful images of organic growth. The mustard seed grows slowly, but as a tree it has room for all sorts of birds in its branches. Now as in its first centuries, the church has room for all races, colours and cultures. We are not clones but hugely diverse.

Reflection
Another image of the kingdom: yeast in the dough, working for good even when unseen. Yeast is a less attractive image than spreading trees or a light on a hilltop. If there is anything of the exhibitionist in us, this image will discover it. Lord, I feel safer as yeast, working invisibly and unnoticed. I do not look to see results, just to know that I am an active part of your kingdom.

Reflection
‘The God of small things' is the title of a popular Indian work of literature. God is the God of the mustard seeds. Not alone do we grow from small beginnings of faith, but we also grow in faith and love through the small and ordinary experiences of life. God, creator of heavens and earth, is interested in the things of our lives which loom large for us but may seem trivial to others - our aches and pains, our hurts and griefs, our daily work and all that goes to make up our lives.