In this Sunday’s Gospel, there is the familiar parable of the mustard seed. “It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
So what is it that is like the mustard seed?
Many say it’s our faith. It starts small, but when it matures our faith can grow to such a point where we support others in their faith journeys. Where others can rest in its shade.
But the homilist reminds us that it is with patience, that this faith grows.
We don’t become strong believers in an instant. Neither can we change our whole lives and live according to the precepts of our faith overnight.
For many of us, it is difficult.
But with patience and God’s grace, we try. We must.
Just having baby steps in the way we interact, say with a family member that always annoys us. We bite our tongue. We learn to forgive, to let go, to be empathetic. Maybe that person is having a bad day. Maybe he/she is holding on to a lot of emotional hurt.
And so we strive in our little actions day to day to become that better person. That bigger person, to not react negatively. To not start an argument.
This is how our faith is put into action, and it can grow.
Day by day until we it gets bigger.
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