If you are a homeowner, you need to take care of any snow and plow it away from your sidewalks. During the summer months, you have to mow the grass. These may not be the most enjoyable activities, but after you complete the work, you feel satisfied, and maybe even proud that you took care of house. Some of us like to decorate our homes for different holidays, and I am blown away seeing some of the homes in our neighborhood beautifully decorated for Christmas. I know how much time that must have taken, but after all the work, all of us can stop and enjoy those lights and decorations. There is always a certain amount of work and sacrifice in order to enjoy the final effect. But that is also true with studying, learning, gaining some education, just to one day enjoy the fruits of all that labor. Today in the gospel, Jesus reminds us that it is similar with the Kingdom of God: “It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.” We are responsible for making the Kingdom of God grow, so one day we can enjoy it like those birds. One day we can just rest, relax, enjoy, and be proud of what we have done.
