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birth." We are asked to animate our lives in this secular world to wrestle with that pro-
found distinction.
Today's Gospel is the Parable of the mustard seed, which, though the tiniest of seeds,
yields a hardy and robust plant which becomes a home for wandering creatures when
planted in a place where the seed can germinate properly and flourish. The Gospel ends
with the explanation that Jesus spoke in the prophetic tradition of parables to reveal
"what had lain hidden since the foundation of the world." Why, we might ask, didn't Je-
sus just say, "Do so much of this, then do precisely that, and you'll all have your ticket
punched for happiness"? Why the parables and stories with their sometimes cryptic
messages? The traditional answer was that, like the disciples of His day, we were not
ready until we fully encountered the mystery of His death and resurrection. Are we not
charged to "know" that encounter as parabolic wisdom in itself, rather than the kind of
empirical knowledge that gives our modern world its sense of material security? Jesus
was not trying to build a smoothly functioning organization; He was trying to inspire an
organic community with a beating heart that embraced the need for ongoing sacrifice to
achieve kind of regular regeneration every organic entity requires. He threaded the con-
cept of transformative change into his teachings and observations--the idea that the
Kingdom of Heaven is place that is always "becoming." He sees us as agents of that
change. We are not merely to wait for God to clean up the garbage, do all the work, and
invite us to a banquet with a fully hosted bar. Although I'm aware of no record of such
an event, perhaps Jesus also said, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a pot-luck..."
P
RAYER
Lord, open my eyes, and help me to keep them open.
_______
D
ON
M
ILICI
Parishioner