Mark 4: 26-34 The Patience to Accomplish the Mission
Jesus tells two parables in the Gospel Reading today: the Parable of the Seed Growing by Itself, and the Parable of the Mustard Seed, both of which refer to the Kingdom of God.
The First Parable about the gradual unnoticeable growth of the seed invites us to trust God with persevering patience. This is oftentimes difficult in our age of “instant” efficiency, and “fast track” – he fast and furious.
We want everything quick, and immediate! We want everything to “go faster.” We have “fast lanes” in the supermarket, fast lanes for traffic, supersonic jet planes, bullet trains. We feed growth hormones to our children and our livestock to make them grow faster.
But there are some things we and our science cannot control. We may use science to facilitate growth. But the actual life and growing is not within our control.
There is a story of an impatient son of a farmer. He noticed that the rice plants in the fields his father planted are growing too slowly for him. So in the middle of the night he went out to pull the rice plants one inch higher.
The next morning he proudly shows his father how he was able to make the rice plants grow one inch higher. But unfortunately, the day after, all the rice plants died.
Our interference of the natural process of growth can have disastrous effects. Better to let God and nature take its course.
Some farmers discovered that the natural time for a chicken egg to hatch is about 21 days. If you increase the temperature of the incubator a little bit, the chicks may be hatched one or two days earlier. But if you increase the heat too much you don’t get a chick, you have a “balut.”
Modern man thinks that he can do anything with his science and technology, and feels responsible for everything. This brings about his fearful concern and anxiety. He cannot trust what happens without him. He can no longer let things happen, he must be in control.
When we are not able to “let go and let God,” we forget that God is carrying out his plans and guiding events to his goals through our confused agitation. Jesus, on the contrary, even though he has the burden of saving the world, is attentive to ordinary individuals, takes time to pray, contemplates nature, welcomes children, attends weddings, and relaxes. In all his actions, he knows, God is working and the seed is growing.
Do I know how to relax in God’s name, how to trust in Him? Do I let God show me what my true priorities are?
We must have patience with ourselves. In spite of our seemingly slow spiritual progress, God is at work in the depth of the soil of our hearts. Our impatience very often comes from our pride.
We want to stand perfect. We forget that all growth whether natural or spiritual, is a slow process and ultimately is given only by God.
Somebody prayed to God, “Lord, grant me the virtue of patience. And do it right now! Don’t take your own sweet time!”
To adapt myself to the pace of God is to abandon myself to Him in complete trust. There is nothing so unstoppable as the power of growth. It is slow, but it is irresistible. The roots of a tree, given enough time, can crack open rocks and pavements made of cement.
People often claim they don’t have time for spiritual formation, because they have more urgent temporal needs. Yet, a solid spiritual formation is the secret that will bring us through any crisis of life.
The second parable is that of the Mustard Seed. Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to the tiny mustard seed, which is hardly noticeable. And yet in time, it will grow big enough to shelter all kinds of birds.
The Kingdom of God may be small and insignificant in comparison with the massive popularity of pleasure seeking, fun attraction of this world, or the materialistic comfort and security offered by commercial ads, licentiousness of atheism, or the power of police states or anarchy.
But it is alive and continues to grow without ever stopping – whereas ideologies, regimes, and fads – even fashions – come and go. I often get unexpected feedback from people whom I had helped years ago in their spiritual formation. They tell me how what they learned over 40, 50 years ago had been so helpful in coping with the problems of their life and work until now.
On the other hand I have seen so many people who neglected or failed to take their faith formation seriously, who had been active in school and community for a while then got lost. Some even lost their faith to material gain or pleasure.
Jesus came to tell us of God’s love for us, and to establish His Kingdom of love. But after three short years, his enemies ended his mission by crucifying him. Yet in spite of the impossible odds, Christianity slowly grew until it spread to all over the world.
Closer to home, in 2013 our Stella Maris and Friends Project started after the disaster of the Super-Typhoon Yolanda. With our limited resources The Sacred Heart Parish tried to provide at least some fishermen with boats to enable them to fish again.
We expected that with all our resources we could gather, we might be able to give 5 to10 boats.
By the touch of God, people from all over – here and abroad – responded and supported the project. In the end, the Project was able to provide in five localities 126 motorized bancas, each one good for two families to work together. The team visited the fishermen and their families regularly to give formation program to help develop them into Christian communities, with the continuing support of benefactors. Looking at the project I’m always reminded of what Jesus meant by the “mustard seed.”
Jesus started with a handful of uneducated fishermen. And all except one were martyred for their faith. Yet Christianity spread and flourished all over the world. It has attracted all kinds of people of all languages and cultures. It has survived great persecutions from authoritarian and communist regimes.
The lesson we can learn from the two parables is never to be discouraged by small insignificant beginnings. Persevering effort and trust is what we need. Our consolation is that we don’t have to produce great accomplishments for God.
God will take care of that. We just have to realize that Jesus has lovingly offered us the opportunity to join him in His Mission. Before we were born, he has been on his mission. And after we are gone, he will still continue his mission.
But while we are here on earth he has offered us the opportunity and privilege to join him in his mission. Victory is assured.
But we have to struggle with him, labor with him, and suffer with him, to achieve great victory with him.
May God give you the courage and patience for this mission.