What is the kingdom of God like?

30 OCTOBER (Lk 13,18-21)

God’s style is unmistakable. He creates a single man from whom all mankind comes. What we read in Genesis is true. From one man all men.

Then God said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.” God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them, saying: “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth.” (Gen 1,26-28).

He calls Abraham, him alone. The Lord’s people come from him. At first they are a very small number. History is not afraid of them, because they are an exiguous number.

The Lord said to Abram: “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you.” (Gen 12,1-3).

The Psalm contemplates the smallness of the people of God, placed under the protection of God.

Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders. Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad. Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually. Remember His wonders which He has done, His marvels and the judgments uttered by His mouth, O seed of Abraham, His servant, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones! He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth. He has remembered His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations, The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac. Then He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant, Saying, “ To you I will give the land of Canaan As the portion of your inheritance,” When they were only a few men in number, Very few, and strangers in it. And they wandered about from nation to nation, From one kingdom to another people. He permitted no man to oppress them, And He reproved kings for their sakes: “ Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.” (Sal 105 (104) 1.15).

History changes; attitudes and forms of existence of the life of man on earth evolve. What remains unchanged is always the way of the Lord. He always starts from the infinitely small to create the infinitely large. He starts from little to do much. The parable of Jesus, according to this principle, speaks of the Kingdom of God.

Then he said, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a person took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and ‘the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.'” Again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed (in) with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”

The mustard seed is very tiny. Yet with time it will become a large shrub. Yeast is also a very small thing if compared to the great mass of flour. Yet it has so much power in itself as to ferment three measures of flour. If we do not believe in this truth, we make vain all our work. One single disciple of Jesus has so much power of the Holy Spirit in his heart as to ferment of evangelical truth the whole world. Only one, not two, not three, not one thousand people. One only can be a light for all humanity. However he must understood that the transformation or growth is not accomplished in a moment. It takes days, months, years, before the tree becomes majestic, before the world is illuminated with a new light. Without a strong faith in this truth, you get tired, you get abandoned, you see yourself lost, you consider your mission work and apostolate lost. Without a strong faith in the Word of Jesus, you risk depression, because of the fruits that do not come instantly. But with a strong faith you also have the patience to wait for the ripening of fruit.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels, and Saints give us a strong and robust faith.