On two occasions our Gospel told us of people who took something and put it to use. Therefore, a man took a mustard seed and sowed his field and a woman took leaven and hid in three measures of meal.
The mustard seed and the leaven gives us two different perspectives, but they have the same meaning. Ultimately the seed and the leaven will grow into something greater with the passing of time. As Saint John Chrysostom commented, “The leaven, though it is buried, is not destroyed. Little by little it transmutes the whole lump into its own condition. This happens with the gospel.”
If the man and the woman did not take something and put it to use they would have nothing at the end of time. Therefore, the man took the seed, planted it, time passed, and it began to grow. Therefore, the woman took the leaven, hid in three measures of meal, time passed, and it was leavened.
Concerning these two individuals they had to be patient and allow the Gospel and God’s grace to be at work in them. This must also be so of us. We must be patient and allow the Gospel and God’s grace to be at work within us. So many are not patient, fail at taking something and putting it to use, and thus they fail at allowing God to be at work within their life.
As a Church we are journeying towards the end of the liturgical season. During this period of time our readings reflect upon the certainty of the end and thus the four last things: death, judgement, Heaven, and Hell. This Gospel ties into this theme for we cannot be complacent, but must be active in all allowing God to be at work within our life.
Matthew Henry stated that yeast “works silently and insensibly, yet strongly and irresistibly.” From this statement we can see that the same is true when it pertains to God’s grace. This grace is always at work within our life, but we see often recluse inwardly upon self instead of placing our trust in God and His coming Kingdom.
Whenever we have the opportunity to assist at the Holy Mass, study Sacred Scripture, receive the sacraments, enter into prayer, and study the faith we allow God to be at work within us in a most intimate way. When we fail to live out the faith to the fullest degree we fail to turn our heart onto God and allow Him to active in our life at all times.
We must be like the individuals in our Gospel who took something and put it to use. Let us take hold of the faith, never compromising it, and live it always. The Kingdom of Heaven is coming and is worth more than all the treasures of this world. Let us strive for this Kingdom and do so with God’s help.
