Reflection for January 30 Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 4:26-34

Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

Jesus said to the crowds: "This is how it is with the Kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come."  

He said, "To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? 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."

With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

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Reflection:

Do we realize that God has scattered the seeds of faith in our hearts?

Our knowledge of God always begins with a small seed quietly planted in our minds and hearts. When we were young, we already knew that there is a God, yet we did not fully understand who He is or what role He plays in our lives. As we grow and mature, we slowly begin to nurture this seed—by thinking more deeply about God, by attending Holy Mass, by reading the Scriptures, and by learning more about our faith through the many means available to us.

As we do these things, the small seed that God has planted in us begins to grow. Little by little, God becomes the stronghold of our lives. He becomes our safe refuge—the One we turn to in times of distress, confusion, doubt, and weakness. In Him, we find not only shelter, but also strength, peace, and hope.

Yet, not all of us nurture this seed of faith, and not all of us choose to seek refuge in God. Many of us, at times, look for comfort in our vices or in other people. But sooner or later, we discover that the refuge they offer is short-lived and passing. The only refuge that lasts forever is God. All other refuges fade with time and fail us when we need them most.

What, then, is our part in this divine work of God’s scattering of seeds? Our part is to help these seeds grow—not only in our own hearts, but also in the hearts of our brothers and sisters. We do this by sharing what we know about God, by living out His teachings in our daily lives, and by encouraging others to read the Scriptures and to attend Holy Mass.

And so, we are invited to ask ourselves: Are we truly nurturing the seed of faith that God has planted in our hearts—and are we helping it grow in others, or are we letting it wither away?-Marino J. Dasmarinas