Wednesday, July 20 (7), 2022

1Cor.2:9-3:8; Mt. 13:31-36 

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed [Mt. 13:31] or like leaven [Mt. 13:36].  A tiny mustard seed grows into a big tree; leaven permeates the dough and makes it rise.

On one hand, this is an image of the Church: at first, the Church included only the Apostles and a few others, but later increased tremendously and spread over the whole mankind.  On the other hand, this is an image of the spiritual life of every man.  It starts with the first seed ─ with the desire and resolve to seek salvation in Christian life by the faith in our Lord and Savior. 

This resolve, no matter how firm it is, can be compared to a small dot. At first it does not go beyond one’s self-perception and motivation; later, however, all elements of the spiritual life develop from it.  The resolve grows from inside, increasing in strength and agility, maturing, permeating all faculties of the soul ─ mind, emotions and will ─ filling them, making them rise, as if leavened, and eventually reaching out to every part of the human nature, the body, the soul and the spirit which had given birth to this noble resolve in the first place.