Daily Gospel Reflection
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January 31, 2020
Jesus said to the crowds, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”
He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.
The parable of the mustard seed that Jesus uses in this gospel is very familiar. Most of us have heard it so many times that we may gloss over it, thinking we already know what it means. If we really take a look into it, however, we may find a new call to action.
Think about the very start of the Church—it definitely had humble beginnings. As Jesus began his ministry, he had only a handful of followers. He was certainly starting out with a mustard seed.
As Jesus continued sharing the good news, performing miracles, and telling parables, he saw the first signs of growth. Crowds became interested in what he had to say, and people began to believe in his message.
Now fast forward to today. The Church has come quite a long way. What started out as a handful of people has become more than two billion Christians. The mustard seed certainly became a great shrub with large branches, just as Jesus promised.
The work is not over, however. We cannot merely sit back and admire the progress that took place over thousands of years. We must now do our part in continuing to grow the kingdom of God. We have the tools to do so, we just have to put in the work. We can do this by living the Gospel and loving one another, just as Jesus teaches us to do. If each of us flourishes in this way, think about how much can be accomplished. By cultivating each individual, we are growing the kingdom of God one by one and creating a strong foundation for followers yet to come.
God has sown the seeds of the kingdom. It’s up to us to grow the mustard seed within ourselves, to ripen and be ready for the harvest.
Prayer
O God, help us grow in holiness and peace. Without your heavenly nourishment, we are bound to wilt and wither. With the aid your Son’s example, we shall grow a hundred fold in all that enriches your kingdom, now and forever. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.
Saint of the Day
When he was just nine years old, St. John Bosco had a vivid dream that revealed to him the vocation that would shape his life: serving children.
John Bosco was born in 1815 in Northern Italy, and his father died when he was only 2. As a boy, John dreamed that he stood in a crowd of children who were fighting and cussing and he was failing to quiet them. A mysterious lady appeared and told him, “You will have to win these friends of yours not with blows, but with gentleness and kindness. Take your shepherd’s staff and lead them to pasture.” As she spoke, the children turned into wild beasts and then into lambs.
John was disturbed by the dream, as he felt that what it commanded was an impossible task. Still, he could not let the vision go, and as he matured, it led him to minister to the poor and neglected boys who lived in Turin, Italy. He would perform magic tricks and juggling and acrobatics in order to gain their attention, and then he would teach them about the faith and invite them to attend Mass with him.
He soon had a constant crowd of several hundred boys following him around. When other priests or nuns tried to help, they tired or became frustrated. He had little money and many thought him to be out of his mind.
He opened several centers where young people could come to play and pray but was set back by finances and many people’s unwillingness to let a crowd of unruly children run through any property they owned. Don Bosco was undeterred and even began to let some of the children live in his home with his mother.
Money started to come in for his cause, and he opened a church for these children as well as a home and school. He encouraged boys to learn trades to become shoemakers and tailors, and persuaded many who had a vocation to the priesthood. Soon Don Bosco was serving, training, housing, and educating hundreds of boys, all with a gentleness and patience that these lost boys found nowhere else.
He became known as a popular preacher because of his eloquence and there were reports of miracles attributed to his intercession. At the height of an anti-clerical movement—when even the Jesuits had been expelled and several convents suppressed—he founded an order of priests to assist in this work with children. He named it the Salesians, after his favorite saint, St. Francis de Sales, and founded another order of women to work with girls, called the Daughters of Our Lady, Help of Christians. The Salesian family also includes a community of brothers. The work of these orders continues today.
St. John Bosco died on January 31, 1888, and is honored as a patron saint of children and magicians. His story and image are used by high school students who come to campus for a summer conference with the Notre Dame Vision program.
St. John Bosco, who loved neglected and unruly children with patience and gentleness—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. John Bosco is an illustration by Julie Lonneman, who holds exclusive rights to the further distribution and publication of her art. Used with permission.