11th Sunday of Ordinary Time (B)

 

Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time (B) [Mk 4:26-34]

16.06.2024

The Parables of the Growing Seed and the Mustard Seed

Readings: (1) Ez 17:22-24 (2) 2 Cor 5:6-10

1.  Theme in brief:

Patience and trust in God’s power

2.  Focus Statement:   

Just as the seed has power to sprout and grow as per its nature, so do our efforts to bring about God’s rule of love over human hearts and society; but we must patiently wait for the seed of God’s Word to bear fruit with an unwavering trust in God’s power.

3.    Explanation of the text

A parable is a sort of comparison of a thing or subject already known to people (especially in Jesus’ locality) with another unknown reality. Without defining exactly what his main dream or project called ‘the Kingdom of God’ means (which is an unknown ‘thing’ for his audience), Jesus compares its nature or characteristics with commonly known or seen and experienced realities of daily life. 

In today’s gospel, Jesus explains the nature and future of God’s Kingdom through two such comparisons or illustrations. Both are called the parables of contrast, since they speak of smallness or littleness of the beginning with the surprise of a great result in future. Both of these parables were probably given in the context of a doubt that existed in the minds of his disciples whether his dream-project (God’s Kingdom) would succeed at all, since most of the higher-ups in Jewish society were outright against him. There was no dramatic and visible success of his movement called “the Kingdom of God.” Their hopes were getting shattered. Both the parables in today’s gospel are given to raise their fallen or drooping spirit.

In the first parable titled by some as “The Parable of the Seed Growing in Secret” and by some others as “ The Parable of the Patient Farmer” (4:26-29), Jesus uses the example of farming activity. In it he tells his disciples that a farmer can do only what is under his power and control: prepare the soil, sow the seed, manure and water it, but can neither make the seed sprout nor grow. He cannot hasten the harvest either. He must wait till the harvest time. He neither knows nor understands how this process of growth takes place (4:27). After sowing the seed and doing whatever is within his means to facilitate a good produce, he carries on his normal life like sleeping at night and waking up at dawn (14:27). But the seed grows with a potentiality which is within it. The earth brings forth fruit by itself, first the stalk, then the head and the full grain in the head according to the nature which is already present within the seed (14:28). The inactivity of the farmer during the growth of the seed is contrasted with his quick activity of going with a sickle to reap the harvest when it is ready (4:29). Or his patient waiting is contrasted with the certainty of the harvest as a reward for his waiting. It is clear that this parable is given as a lesson to the disciples who are disturbed and disappointed by slowness of the growth of God’s Kingdom and acceptance of Jesus’ message.

In the midst of doubt, discouragement and impatience of his disciples, Jesus seems to tell them that the seeds of the gospel or the values of God’s Kingdom which are sown by ‘farmers’ (= his disciples) in the world or in the human heart, are bound to produce wonderful fruits in the long run, but in God’s own time and without much noise. The harvest is certain. What the farmer must do is wait patiently. In the midst of unimpressive results of Jesus’ ministry the disciples are told to trust and hope in God even if the result seems to be minimum at present. Besides this, some scholars say that in this parable Jesus probably hints against the views and activities of fanatics called the Zealots in his time who were getting impatient with God. They were thinking God was too slow to break the yoke of Roman oppression. So they wanted to overthrow Roman dominion with a violent and armed revolution.

In the second parable, titled as the “Parable of the Mustard Seed” (4:30-32), Jesus compares the eventual growth of God’s Kingdom with the size of a mustard tree in contrast to the tiny size of its seed. Though its seed is the smallest of all seeds on ‘earth’ (of course on the limited earth known to Jewish farmers, 4:31), when sown it grows up to become the tallest of shrubs in their region (4:32). The contrast is between the smallness of the seed and the greatness of the shrub. Jesus gives them the hope that one day, the tree of God’s Kingdom will give shelter to ‘birds of the air,’ namely, the Gentiles (4:32).

4.  Application to life                     

The parables in today’s gospel speak of the contrast between small and insignificant beginnings of any work done for God and his values with the certainty of its tremendous outcome and future destiny. They tell us not to be discouraged by small beginnings; a few people listening to good advice; a few only, even among the Religious, seriously or radically following Jesus’ way. They inculcate hope in us that our efforts to establish God’s Kingdom on earth – that is, to build up communities, to promote peace and reconciliation, to bring about a just society and to uphold the dignity of human life may not yield immediate results. The result will come in God’s own time – he alone knows when. The Kingdom of God is a divine accomplishment and not human. We need to be patient with the delay of its coming. The kingdom grows naturally and gradually instead of suddenly and dramatically.

How wonderfully these two parables point to some of the most common problems we experience and observe as the world advances to higher and higher degrees of progress: impatience, anxiety, despair and overconfidence in one’s own achievements. What are the symptoms of impatience in our world today? In our modern world ‘instant gratification’ is the name of the game. There is so much craving for fast and instant results like the ‘fast food,’ ‘instant coffee,’ ‘instant download or upload’ in our computers and Smartphone. Because of this, any delay in anything irritates us and drives us mad. Even if our best friend arrives ten minutes late, quite many of us may be impatiently spending that time by fiddling in their mobile phones while cursing him/her in their minds. We are constantly tempted to lose patience and become overanxious when results do not turn out instantly and as we wish. The more time we save because of many of our works being done by machines nowadays, the more we rush about and overwork. We are made to believe that spending too many hours at work, sleeping less and spending very little time for human relations will make us very prosperous and successful. We forget that by rushing about and overwork, a sinner will not repent, an unruly child will not change, an illness will not get healed, loving relationships are not established and peace is not attained. Sometimes we observe the situation around us and feel that nothing good is happening and we are powerless to control anything; everything is under the control of powers that will not change anyway. So we sink into despair and get discouraged.

In the midst of these realities, the two parables in today’s gospel advocate optimism and hope, instead of pessimism and despair. Just as the seed has power to sprout and grow inherent in its nature, so do our efforts to bring about God’s rule over human hearts and society. Our efforts may have a small beginning but the final result will be enormous. God’s work begins with a humble starter: a few people meeting to address a problem, a gesture of kindness, a smile, a word of encouragement for doing the right thing, a helping hand extended to the needy, a voice raised to oppose an evil, a sharing of knowledge with the ignorant, etc. Jesus tells us to believe in this principle: Just like a seed, which has the potentiality to grow into a big tree, small beginnings also have the potentiality of a widespread growth. We should sow the seeds of good conduct, love, honesty. Then trust in God that he will bring fruit in his own time. If we sow the seeds of love in the hearts of others, they will grow secretly. If we sow the seeds of hatred, they will become like an over-dose of fertilizer, which burns the crop. Even sowing the seeds of love with a friendly smile, a kind gesture, a warm welcome, a little support to the weaker section, a little encouragement to the neglected people will slowly lead to   growth of God’s Kingdom in others.

Both of these parables invite us to examine whether we trust in our own efforts or in God’s power. Through these parables Jesus invites us not to give in to impatience and discouragement. He says God’s Kingdom will grow with certainty but we must give up our illusion to think we can control the coming of his Kingdom in the way we want, on our terms and at a time determined by us. God’s ways are not our ways; they are mysterious and full of surprises. So we should let God be God. We can only provide opportunities and facilities for change and wait on God to do his work of bringing about result in the way he wants and in his own time. Since we often do not see instant results of our good work and guidance, there is a temptation to give it up out of discouragement. At that time what or how do we decide? Despite insignificant beginnings due to the positive response of only a few, the Kingdom of God has a tremendous capacity to grow. We should not be disappointed by the fact that the number of those who genuinely follow Jesus may be only a handful. We have to wait patiently for the seed of faith and love to bear fruits. We cannot make the Kingdom grow by our own power, but trust in God’s power. Jesus tells us not to be discouraged and not to lose heart. Here is his message of hope and encouragement for us.

What is patience? Normally we understand that patience means enduring pain/ irritation/ failure/ lack of result without any complaint; tolerating bad situations with quietness and calm. It looks like suffering everything in silence. Patience is not exactly like that.  It means the same as putting our faith and trust in God that everything will work out well in its own time with him in control of every situation, including our destiny. We become impatient when we are not able to accept the present and wish it would be different. We need to do some self-talk when this thing happens: “After all everything is passing by. And God is in control. Then why be so impatient?” Actually, we can only sow the seeds of good conduct and gospel values in human hearts and society. We can also create an environment for growth like a farmer who waters and manures the fields. However, we cannot make the seed sprout, grow and yield fruit. After doing our best, we need to wait patiently for God to bring about the result. This work of yielding fruit is done by God secretly, without our knowledge, while we sleep and rise up as today parable says, i.e. go about our normal duties. Though we should be committed to our work of bringing about God’s Kingdom, we have to be patient enough to leave the fruits in God’s hands. In spite of our careful planning and meticulous calculations, we cannot establish God’s Kingdom with our power. God in his own time will reward our humble efforts. Every seed has a potentiality for growth in it, which is God-given.

5.  Response to God's Word

What are the symptoms of impatience in our day-to-day life? Do we get often impatient with people around us and make uncharitable comments about them due to it? Do we often give in to anxiety, despair and overconfidence in our own achievements? Do we trust only in our own efforts or in God’s power? Do we often lose patience and become overanxious when results do not turn out instantly and as we wish? Do we live a life of optimism and hope, or pessimism and despair? Since we often do not see instant results of our good work and guidance, should we give it up out of discouragement, or let God do what he wants?

6.  A Prayer

O infinitely patient God! When I consider your inexhaustible patience with me, I do not know why I become so impatient with myself and others. I believe that you are in control of my destiny. Do what you want with me. I regret for the times I had been impatient with my near and dear ones, colleagues, companions and neighbours. Give me the generosity to accept people and situations as they are and trust in your power and not my power. Amen.