Holyrood Church 715 West 179 Street, Upper West side Manhattan, USA, 212-923-3770

Trust the master baker. He will not fail you!

Good morning, happy Monday and blessings.

 

Trust the master baker! He will not fail you!

 

In Matthew 13:31-32 we find the parable of the mustard seed. Jesus says, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed” and then He immediately tells the story: a mustard seed which is very small is cast into the ground. Despite being very small, it grows and becomes larger than other plants and attracts the birds which come and build their nests in it. Jesus does not explain the story. Here applies what He said on another occasion: “Anyone who has ears to hear, let him hear!” That is, “It is this. You have heard, so now try to understand!” It is up to us to discover what the story reveals to us about the Kingdom of God present in our life. Thus, by means of this story of the mustard seed, Jesus urges us to think because each one of us understands something about the seed. Jesus expects that people, all of us, begin to share what each one has discovered.

 

And in Matthew 13:33 we find the parable of the yeast. The story of the second parable is the following: A woman took a bit of yeast and mixed it with three measures of flour, until it is leavened all through. Once again, Jesus does not explain. He only says, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast...” As in the first parable, it is up to us to discover the significance which this has for us today. The following are some points which I have discovered, and which have made me think: (a) What grows is not the yeast, but the bread. (b) It is a matter of something in a house, well known to a woman and to a man in their house. (c) The yeast is mixed up with the pure dough of flour and contains something living. (d) The objective is to have all the dough rise and grow through the beneficial action of the yeast, and not only one part. (e) The yeast is not an end in itself but serves to make the bread grow.

 

In these parables, Jesus is telling us how he, God and the Spirit work within us. However, the first step is having the seed sown within us and allowing it to grow and become leaven within us. Thus, we first must hear and accept Jesus’ words and teachings. Then we must take his words to heart!

Jesus’ presence in our lives is dynamic. However, we must be open to his word and his action in our lives. Mixing three measures of flour with all the other ingredients to make bread takes time, energy and skill. Bread making truly is an art. The ingredients must be measured out, the dough must be mixed and then kneaded for quite a while. Then it is shaped, put into pans, and baked at a fairly high temperature. If the bread maker is not skilled, the bread may be doughy, tough or the texture or taste may not be pleasing.

 

Today give thanks for the “mustard seed” and the “bread” that you are. You have the potential for greatness! Trust the master baker! He will not fail you! I want to close this reflection with three question: Which point of these two parables did you like best or which struck you more? Why? What is the seed that without your awareness has grown in you and in your community?

 

Blessings

 

Fr. Luis+

Date news: 
Monday, July 27, 2020 - 17:30

Ministry at the time of Coronavirus (Covid 19): Prevent, cure and accompany

Now we have to shape what some have started calling; The Church at Home. Although I keep asking myself; What do those who do not have a home do? For this reason, at the same time, I am declaring today in our Holyrood Church a Lenten day of prayer, fasting and reading the Bible in the Time of the Coronavirus.

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