October 6, 2019 Lord, Increase Our Faith

October 6, 2019    The Gift of Faith

Reading I:  Habakkuk
1:2-3;2:2-4

Psalm:  95

Reading II: 
2 Timothy
1:6-8,13-14

Gospel: 
Luke 17:5-10

While it is important that we give thanks to the Lord for all that He has given us, gratitude for the gift of faith is especially important. Faith is the foundation on which one's life is lived. It is like an anchor in a sea which steadies the person during the calm and beautiful seasons and the turbulent storms of life.

This was brought home to me forcibly when I was a campus minister at Aquinas College, Newton, Massachusetts. One young woman who became involved in the campus ministry activities shared with me that she felt cheated because her parents had not introduced her to any religion. She went through her childhood and teens without the blessings of faith.

The situation was that her father was a nominal Catholic and her mother had been brought up Protestant. Since this student had no knowledge of either religion, the parents themselves probably did not attend church. It is no wonder that she felt cheated. As the student became more involved in the campus ministry program at the College, she took instructions and was received into the Catholic Church.

One of the best gifts we can share with another is our faith. That is true of parents who are called to prepare the child for life. We cannot be with our children to support them all their lives. Also, none of us are going to live forever. How grateful our children will be if we have introduced them to a loving Lord who will be with them forever.  

There are many adults who are seeking for meaning and purpose in their lives. By sharing Scripture, giving example of authentic Christian living, and reaching out to these seekers, we fulfill the call to each of us to spread the faith in our circumstances.

When I was in high school, I worked in a department store in the summer. The Franciscans had a chapel nearby and a Mass every day at noon. I used to go to Mass during my lunch break.  Another teenager who worked with me asked if she could come to Mass with me. 

After a while, my coworker decided that she wanted to be baptized. However, she knew that she would be evicted from her home if she attempted it at that time. I lost contact with her because I entered the convent after high school. However, I assume that when she was out on her own, she might have fulfilled her dream.

Sometimes, people are shy about inviting people to Church. A Sister, who was a convert, shared with me that when she wanted to attend a Mass in a Catholic Church. She waited and waited for an invitation to no avail. Finally, she invited herself. Eventually, she took instructions, was baptized and later became a Sister of the Blessed Sacrament. It is sad to know that she had to invite herself.

If we have the blessing of friendship with Jesus, introducing Him to others is the best gift we can give them. Let us be alert to opportunities to share the treasure of that relationship.

  Reflection Question:   Give an example in which you or others have led a person/people to Jesus.

Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...

Señor, Aumenta Nuestra Fe

Si bien es importante que demos gracias al Señor por todo lo que nos ha dado, la gratitud por el don de la fe es especialmente importante. La fe es la base sobre la cual se vive la vida. Es como un ancla en un mar que estabiliza a la persona durante las estaciones tranquilas y hermosas y las tormentas turbulentas de la vida.

Esto me lo trajeron a la fuerza cuando era ministro del campus en Aquinas College, Newton, Massachusetts. Una joven que se involucró en las actividades del ministerio del campus compartió conmigo que se sintió engañada porque sus padres no le habían presentado ninguna religión. Ella pasó por su infancia y adolescencia sin las bendiciones de la fe.

La situación era que su padre era un católico nominal y su madre había sido criada como protestante. Como este estudiante no tenía conocimiento de ninguna de las religiones, los padres probablemente no asistieron a la iglesia. No es de extrañar que se sintiera engañada. A medida que la estudiante se involucró más en el programa de ministerio del campus en el Colegio, recibió instrucciones y fue recibida en la Iglesia Católica.

O Uno de los mejores regalos que podemos compartir con otros es nuestra fe. Eso es cierto para los padres que están llamados a preparar al niño para la vida. No podemos estar con nuestros hijos para mantenerlos toda su vida. Además, ninguno de nosotros va a vivir para siempre. Cuán agradecidos estarán nuestros hijos si les presentamos a un Señor amoroso que estará con ellos para siempre.

Hay muchos adultos que buscan significado y propósito en sus vidas. Al compartir las Escrituras, dar ejemplo de la auténtica vida cristiana y llegar a estos buscadores, cumplimos el llamado a cada uno de nosotros para difundir la fe en nuestras circunstancias.

Cuando estaba en la secundaria, trabajaba en una tienda por departamentos en el verano. Los franciscanos tenían una capilla cerca y una misa todos los días al mediodía. Solía ​​ir a misa durante el almuerzo. Otra adolescente que trabajó conmigo me preguntó si podía venir a misa conmigo.

Después de un tiempo, mi compañero de trabajo decidió que quería ser bautizada. Sin embargo, sabía que sería desalojada de su hogar si lo intentaba en ese momento. Perdí el contacto con ella porque entré al convento después de la secundaria. Sin embargo, supongo que cuando estaba sola, podría haber cumplido su sueño.

A veces, las personas son tímidas acerca de invitar personas a la Iglesia. Una hermana, que se había convertido, compartió conmigo cuando quería asistir a una misa en una iglesia católica. Ella esperó y esperó una invitación en vano. Finalmente, se invitó a sí misma. Finalmente, ella tomó instrucciones, fue bautizada y luego se convirtió en Hermana del Santísimo Sacramento. Es triste saber que tuvo que invitarse a sí misma.

Si tenemos la bendición de la amistad con Jesús, presentarle a los demás es el mejor regalo que podemos darles. Estemos atentos a las oportunidades para compartir el tesoro de esa relación.

  Pregunta de Reflexión:   Dé un ejemplo en el que usted u otras personas hayan llevado a una persona a Jesús.

Comments:

Stephanie Morris, Ph. D, Historian, Certified Archivist, emerita

Habakkuk noted the cries of the people: “How long, O Lord? How long must we suffer?” Our Lord responded: “the vision still has its time.”  Mother Katharine noted that we should “Follow each day of the call – not ahead of it.” We can’t hold God’s plans to our stopwatch. We should try to be patient. God’s plan may not seem like an easy or quick one now, but it does lead to our salvation.

Pat Chiaffa, ASBS

Rick Warren writes, “Faithful People Share their Faith.”

He bases that statement on the passage from Matthew’s Gospel in which the friends of a sick and paralyzed man, desiring his healing, brought him to Jesus by lowering him on his mat through an opening in the roof of a house where Jesus was staying.

Warren extends an astute invitation to all of us:

Warren draws attention to the wording in Matthew 9:2, “When Jesus saw their faith.” “It was not the paralyzed man’s faith that led to the healing—it was the faith of his friends.When Jesus saw that these friends cared enough to bring their paralyzed friend, he said, ‘Those guys have great faith. They’re not just asking; they expect me to heal their friend,’ and he did.” 

“You have friends who are spiritually paralyzed and can’t get to Jesus. They are paralyzed by fear, guilt, doubt, pain, or maybe even resentment over being hurt in some church in the past. They are paralyzed, and they can’t get to Jesus on their own.”

“God is watching to see if you will be faithful enough to bring them. And if you are, God will honor your faith. He’ll not only heal your friend; he’s also going to bless you. It’s a blessing of faith… as long as we keep bringing spiritually paralyzed people to Jesus, God will bless them and enrich our lives.”

I’m sure we would all like to be part of that win-win offer. For me, it means being open to opportunities to share my faith and releasing my fear of not knowing the right thing to say and of rejection. The Holy Spirit is working in and through my efforts so I really don’t have any reason not to extend an invitation to someone to join me in getting to know more abundantly the love of God.

July 21, 2019 - Life in Balance

July 21, 2019  -  Martha and Mary

Reading I:  
Genesis 18:1-10a

Psalm:   15

Reading II:  Colossians 1:24-28

Gospel:  Luke 10:38-42  

This Sunday’s Gospel describes a visit of Jesus with his friends, Martha and Mary. Martha, the perfect hostess, immediately hurries about trying to make Jesus comfortable and feed him.  In the meantime, her sister Mary is sitting with Jesus listening to him and asking him questions.

Martha becomes upset with Mary and asks Jesus, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” Jesus responds, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

Was Jesus favoring Mary above Martha at this time? I don’t think so. How could he not appreciate the hospitality of Martha? I think He is trying to tell her that she needs balance in her life. It is so easy to get so caught up in activity, even good works, that the most important things can be neglected.

We are all called to have a close, intimate relationship with our God. That requires communicating with Him on a regular basis. Jesus shows us an example of how to do this, by going off by Himself to pray privately to His Father, despite His busy life.

The story about Martha and Mary reminds me of a visit I had with an elderly relative. He was sitting in the living room, listening to music. In the meantime, his only daughter, who had a large family of her own to care for and was working full-time, was busily cleaning the house. Although he appreciated her taking care of the house since his wife had passed away,  he wistfully confided in me that he wished she would do less cleaning and sit down to listen to music with him for a while.

I also remember the parents of a student of mine who were very active in parish ministries. When they realized that they were not giving enough time to their four children and their own relationship, they decided to withdraw from some of their ministries. They chose to put more balance into their lives for the sake of their family.

I am sure the Lord wants us to help one another, but he also wants us to give quality time to Him. He had to strongly defend Mary’s actions because she was being criticized. However, Jesus wants us to follow the example of both Martha and Mary, and to live a balanced life.

 Reflection Question:   How can I maintain a balanced life? Do I need to change anything?

Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...

La Vida en Equilibrio

El Evangelio de este domingo describe una visita de Jesús con sus amigos, Marta y María. Martha, la anfitriona perfecta, se apresura inmediatamente a tratar de hacer que Jesús se sienta cómodo y lo alimente. Mientras tanto, su hermana María está sentada con Jesús, escuchándole y haciéndole preguntas.

Martha se enoja con María y le pregunta a Jesús: “Señor, ¿no te importa que mi hermana me haya dejado sola para servir? Dile que me ayude”. Jesús responde, “Martha, Martha, estás ansiosa y preocupada por muchas cosas. Hay necesidad de una sola cosa. María ha elegido la mejor parte y no se la quitarán.”

¿Estaba Jesús favoreciendo a María por encima de Marta en este momento? No lo creo. ¿Cómo no podía apreciar la hospitalidad de Martha?  Creo que él está tratando de decirle que ella necesita equilibrio en su vida. Es tan fácil involucrarse tanto en la actividad, incluso en las buenas obras, que se pueden descuidar las cosas más importantes.

Todos estamos llamados a tener una relación cercana e íntima con nuestro Dios. Eso requiere comunicarse con Él regularmente. Jesús nos muestra un ejemplo de cómo hacer esto, yéndose a orar en privado a su Padre, a pesar de su vida ocupada.

La historia sobre Martha y Mary me recuerda una visita que hice con un pariente anciano. Estaba sentado en la sala de estar, escuchando música. Mientras tanto, su única hija, que tenía una gran familia propia a la que atender y trabajaba a tiempo completo, estaba limpiando la casa. Aunque apreciaba que ella se ocupara de la casa desde que falleció su esposa, confió en mí con nostalgia que deseaba que ella hiciera menos limpieza y se sentara a escuchar música con él por un tiempo.

También recuerdo a los padres de un estudiante mío que era muy activo en los ministerios parroquiales. Cuando se dieron cuenta de que no estaban dando suficiente tiempo a sus cuatro hijos y su propia relación, decidieron retirarse de algunos de sus ministerios. Eligieron poner más equilibrio en sus vidas por el bien de su familia.

Estoy seguro de que el Señor quiere que nos ayudemos unos a otros, pero también quiere que le demos tiempo de calidad. Tuvo que defender con firmeza las acciones de Mary porque estaba siendo criticada. Sin embargo, Jesús quiere que sigamos el ejemplo de Marta y María y que vivamos una vida equilibrada.

 Pregunta de Reflexíon:   ¿Cómo puedo mantener una vida equilibrada? ¿Necesito cambiar algo?

Comments:

Stephanie Morris, Ph. D, Historian, Certified Archivist, emerita

St. Katharine wrote to herself, “Am I crowding the Holy Spirit, God, from my mind by 10,000 useless thoughts?? Don’t.” One way of avoiding this “crowding” is to live in the present moment. By focusing on the present moment, we can do what we have to do with complete concentration. Whether we are praying, working, singing or knitting, we can do just that. Staying in the present moment will enable us to balance all the demands on our time. Maybe if Martha had stayed focused on preparing the meal, she would not have been jealous of Mary’s imagined “laziness” while listening to Jesus. One hopes Mary helped with the clean-up after the meal!

Pat Chiaffa, ASBS

Lately, my “Martha” moments have outpaced my “Mary” time spent alone with the Lord, and I am definitely feeling the disharmony. My mother, who recently celebrated her eighty-ninth birthday, decided it was time to sell her house and move into a retirement community. While I applaud her decision, it has resulted in two months of unprecedented busyness. She has lived in the house for fifty-eight years and has accumulated a lot of “treasures” over those years.  She put a deposit on her dream apartment and signed a promissory note that the balance due on her entrance fee would be paid within ninety days.  I am extremely anxious about that commitment because we do not have the house ready to be put up for sale, and the promised funds will come from the sale of the house. I am trying to move quickly to avoid taking a loan and paying interest, but mom needs to take the time to release her attachment to beloved items. Coupled with her physical limitations, progress is slower than I anticipated.  Regrettably, my stress and fatigue levels have resulted in my missing far too many Morning Prayer times spent in quiet with the Lord. Hitting that snooze button a time or two too many, has resulted in lateness for work as well. I place a very high value on promptness, and these “off times” are definite indicators that I am out of balance. 

I believe that the Lord is sending me reminders to get back on track. A recent Guide Post reflection depicted Jesus as a caretaker, pointing out that the disciples followed him everywhere and depended on Him for everything. There were sick people pulling on his garments asking for healing, and there were other people who came to Jesus seeking healing of others… We get the picture.  Jesus was a very busy guy. However, He performed His ministerial duties perfectly. He was fully present to His teaching, preaching and healing, so much so that He even restored life to the dead.  In spite of all the demands, Jesus used His time perfectly.  Jesus was able to do all those things because He had His priorities in order. God came first, always. Everything else followed. 

I regard that meditation as a message from the Lord reminding me to trust that I will receive the energy I need to accomplish my daily tasks if I am steadfast in my Morning Prayer practice. Like Jesus, I can engage in conversation with the Father anytime during the day asking for what I need, be it patience, perseverance, understanding – anything I find myself lacking. 

So many of us serve as caretakers.  It is easy to be thrown off balance by the demands and frustrations of daily life.  When overwhelm is running the show, we need to pause and remember that God is always present, always caring. Taking the time to pray and talk to God, and to offer up our service as prayer to Him, will help restore us to wholeness and peace and return joy to our spirit. 

I close with one caretaker’s prayer, taken from Guidepost, “Strength and Grace,” June/July 2019 booklet.

“Father, Your Son was a caregiver for all of His life. May He be my example, my hope, and my strength every day.  For Jesus’ sake, I pray.”\

June 17, 2018 The Mustard Seed

The Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time  - Year B

Sweet Publishing/FreeBibleimages.org

Reading I:  Ezekiel 17:22-24
  Psalm:  92  

Reading II:  2 Cor. 5:6-10
 
Gospel:  Mark 4:26-34


The Lord often would refer to aspects of nature in his teaching and preaching. Yes, Mother Nature, created by God, provides us with lessons every day if we take the time to reflect. Before we had the Bible, people had some understanding of the Creator from their experiences in their earthly home. God chose to reveal more about Himself when He sent His Son to help us to understand our God on an even deeper level.

The parable of the mustard seed can remind us that if we nurture the gift of faith we received from the Lord, great things can happen. The mustard seed is very small, but it can grow into a large tree and attract the birds of the air to nestle in its branches.

When cared for, a tree can provide beauty, stability, shade, comfort, and
sometimes fruit for us. I have been struck by the beauty of the trees as they blossom in the springtime. Because of the large amounts of rain and good soil here in Pennsylvania, many trees grow to be magnificent and tall. However, if there is not enough water and nutrients available for the trees, they can die, be dwarfed, or bear no fruit.

Just so, our faith and relationship with the Lord must be nourished in order to grow. How does that happen? Just as human relationships are unique according to the personalities of the individuals, so we relate to the Lord in unique ways. While we share some experiences such as the Mass, the Sacraments, devotions like the rosary and novenas, we also have other ways of nurturing our relationships.

According to our personalities, we may grow in many different ways and through varied experiences. It may be reflecting on nature, listening to spiritual talks, reading the Bible, reading spiritual books, belonging to a Bible study or Faith-sharing group, meditation, contemplation, sacred music, sacred poetry, sacred art, spiritual direction, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, visiting the Lord in church or chapel, making a prayer corner in own home, making retreats, accepting trials, or extending ourselves to carrying on the mission of Jesus.

The following is a quotation from St. Teresa of Avila:

Christ Has No Body

Christ has no body but yours,

        No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

      Yours are the eyes with which He looks

Compassion on this world.

Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good,

  Yours are the hands with which He blesses all the world.

Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,

 Yours are the eyes, you are His body.

Christ has no body now but yours.

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

Yours are the eyes with which He looks

compassion on this world.

Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

How important our relationships must be for the Lord to provide so many

wonderful, varied opportunities to deepen our love and devotion to Him!!!       

 Reflection Question:  Ask the Lord how He would like you to nurture your relationship with Him.

                           

Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...

La semilla de mostaza

El Señor a menudo se referirá a aspectos de la naturaleza en su enseñanza y predicación. Sí, la Madre Naturaleza, creada por Dios, nos proporciona lecciones todos los días si nos tomamos el tiempo para reflexionar. Antes de que tuviéramos la Biblia, las personas tenían cierta comprensión del Creador a partir de sus experiencias en su hogar terrenal. Dios eligió revelar más acerca de sí mismo cuando envió a su Hijo para ayudarnos a comprender a nuestro Dios en un nivel aún más profundo.

La parábola de la semilla de mostaza puede recordarnos que si alimentamos el don de la fe que recibimos del Señor, pueden suceder cosas grandiosas. La semilla de mostaza es muy pequeña, pero puede convertirse en un árbol grande y atraer a las aves del aire para que se acurruquen en sus ramas.

Cuando se lo cuida, un árbol puede brindar belleza, estabilidad, sombra, comodidad y, a veces, fruta para nosotros. Me ha impresionado la belleza de los árboles cuando florecen en primavera. Debido a la gran cantidad de lluvia y buen suelo aquí en Pensilvania, muchos árboles son magníficos y altos. Sin embargo, si no hay suficiente agua y nutrientes disponibles para los árboles, pueden morir, empequeñecerse o no dar fruto.

Solo así, nuestra fe y nuestra relación con el Señor deben nutrirse para crecer. ¿Cómo sucede eso? Así como las relaciones humanas son únicas según las personalidades de los individuos, así nos relacionamos con el Señor de maneras únicas. Mientras compartimos algunas experiencias como la Misa, los sacramentos, devociones como el rosario y las novenas, también tenemos otras formas de nutrir nuestras relaciones.

De acuerdo con nuestras personalidades, podemos crecer de diferentes maneras y a través de experiencias variadas. Puede ser reflexionar sobre la naturaleza, escuchar charlas espirituales, leer la Biblia, leer libros espirituales, pertenecer a un estudio bíblico o grupo de fe compartida, meditación, contemplación, música sacra, poesía sagrada, arte sacro, dirección espiritual, adoración del Santísimo Sacramento, visitando al Señor en la iglesia o capilla, haciendo un rincón de oración en su propio hogar, haciendo retiros, aceptando pruebas, o extendiéndonos para llevar a cabo la misión de Jesús.

La siguiente es una cita de Santa Teresa de Ávila:

Cristo no tiene cuerpo

Cristo no tiene otro cuerpo que el tuyo,

Sin manos, sin pies en la tierra, excepto los tuyos,

Los tuyos son los ojos con los que se ve Compasión en este mundo.

Tuyos son los pies con los que camina para hacer el bien, Las suyas son las manos con las que bendice a todo el mundo.

Las suyas son las manos, los suyos son los pies, Los tuyos son los ojos, tú eres su cuerpo. Cristo no tiene otro cuerpo que el tuyo.

Sin manos, sin pies en la tierra, excepto los tuyos, Los tuyos son los ojos con los que se ve compasión en este mundo.

Cristo no tiene cuerpo ahora en la tierra, sino el tuyo.

Cuán importantes deben ser nuestras relaciones para que el Señor
provea tantas oportunidades maravillosas y variadas para
profundizar nuestro amor y devoción a Él !!!

 Pregunta de reflexión:   ¿Cómo puedo tener la fuerza para decir "Sí" al Señor en circunstancias difíciles?

Comments:

                          Pat

A friend of mine who lives in France recently sent me seeds to grow French beans. I planted them last week, rather late season, and I check them each morning looking for signs of growth. I marvel at the miracle of it all – small seed, moist soil, sunshine, germination and finally sprouts shoot up through the dirt. Seeds contain everything a plant needs to start a new life. Spiritual facilitator, Cynthia Bourgeault, writes, “If this seed does fall into the ground, it enters a sacred transformative process…a sprout is the actualization of the possibility latent in the seed – and a whole new field of possibility.”
So what is so significant about the mustard seed? Well, the Israelites were expecting a Messiah who would return the reign of Israel back to the “good old days” of King David. They were expecting a great kingdom, represented by the mighty cedar tree of Lebanon. However, Jesus taught that the Kingdom of God is much more representative of a mustard seed; a tiny seed that will become a great shelter for the birds of the air. “Not by power but by faith,” as Guerric De Bona, OSB writes, does God’s kingdom flourish. He continues, “Not by strength of what we do, but through the grace given to believe,” do we prosper. DeBona paraphrases St. Paul’s quote, “we walk by faith not by sight,” with “we walk by faith not by might.”
I grew up worshipping in churches that were filled to capacity on Sundays. In Philadelphia “Parish Pride” was part of many conversations. We would always ask someone “what parish are you from?” The worship community took pride in financing the church, Catholic schools, Seminary, Rome – you name it, we supported it. We Catholics liked having our forests of mighty cedars. Father DeBona continues his article with the reminder that the days of “relying on the institutions for the substantial, visible manifestation of the Kingdom of God” was not sustainable. Our parish churches and schools are closing, the number of men entering Seminary has significantly decreased. We are realizing today that “it is faith in the risen Lord that enables us to see the Kingdom before us.”
Jesus tells us that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed we can move a mountain. If that is all the faith we need to manifest the Kingdom of God, then it must not be about size; it is about focus. Our faith must be in Jesus. We need to change from being a fan to a committed follower of Christ. PW Emerson writes, “The analogy of the mustard seed is appropriate because on a mustard seed plant, the root grows three times faster than the stalk. Our faith must be rooted in God for it to be any good!” Pastor Rick Warren offers a clever equation: “Little faith + Big God = Huge results!
The Spring Season is a wonderful time to tend to the soil of our heart and soul. I find myself asking what seeds do I need to plant to achieve the transformation I’d like to experience? What possibilities are sprouting up before me that I may be failing to recognize because I am too busy to notice? What is God seeding in me to call forth my latent potential to cultivate new life in His Kingdom?
I’m hoping my beans will grow in spite of their late planting. Fortunately, there are no seasonal concerns when nurturing seeds of faith. We can start right where we are and the Lord will be delighted that we are choosing to cultivate our faith garden. By watering our mustard seed faith with prayer and fertilizing it with spiritual practices, we will develop sturdy roots that will strengthen our relationship with God and influence our response to the needs of our broken world. Perhaps this is how our personal “sacred transformative process” unfolds.
“We do not have to do this to make God love us. That is already taken care of. We do it to love God back and to love what God loves and how God loves!” (Richard Rohr)
Let’s sow seeds of blessings this week, Pat C., ASBS

Sr. Therese M. Warner

Parables are fascinating and deeply penetrating messages from Jesus, aren't they? Your reflections about the mustard seed, etc., are very appropriate, Sister. Also, the quotation from St. Teresa of Avila is certainly inspiring. Thank you.

The following excerpts are from a homily by
Rev. Fr. Canice Chukwuemeka, C.S. Sp.

"On this eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time, we are reminded that the Church of Christ is like a tree planted in the world. From the smallest of seeds it becomes the noblest of trees and a physical evidence of God's kingdom which fills the earth. We are therefore encouraged to seek this kingdom with faith."

"This is the kingdom where God wishes us to be. The visible sign of this kingdom is the Church to which all people come to seek refuge."
"In the Gospel, Christ uses parables to describe and invite us to the kingdom of God. The kingdom He invites us to is a simple and peaceful one which grows gradually and steadily. It is open to all who seek it with a sincere heart. God owns, controls and sustains everything within it. The focus of this parable is not on the work of the farmer who planted the seeds, but on the work of the seed which obtains its growth from a mysterious source and grows so slowly that one can hardly notice it. In this kingdom, God is present and doing his thing in a manner that we can hardly explain. The only thing we need to do is simply to sow a seed of faith in Christ Jesus, and God himself will be in charge of the rest.“