By Angie Koenig
Untitled by Florian Pircher via Pixabay. CC0 Creative Commons
I love that Jesus taught the multitudes in parables. It’s almost like He knew we needed our life lessons delivered through relatable anecdotes so we could understand. Our God is so good. He keeps nothing from us, even His wisdom. As I sat reflecting on today’s Gospel in the adoration chapel, I was struck by how much is made known in a few simple verses about… farming.
Being a Midwestern kid with a mother who loves to garden, I know all about seeds. As a young girl, I have fond memories of my sister and me germinating seeds in paper towels to get them ready for planting in the vegetable patch. We checked on them every day (or more like every hour) hoping to see that radicle pushing through – the first sign of life. It really is a miracle that something can start so small and grow so large.
Our faith is no different. For many of us, that seed was probably planted by our parents and the germination started with the cleansing waters of Baptism. We start out little, rooted in Christ Jesus, and through the seasons of life we find ourselves getting mighty, pushing through the dark soil of adversity to break free into the light. We are no longer just dormant seeds, but little sprouts ready to thrive and stretch our stems towards the Son. To get to this point, though, the seed must first initially break – we cannot become the women we are supposed to be if we don’t allow our hard exterior shell to crack open and reveal our true selves.
Growth can be difficult, but it is always necessary. If we keep ourselves wound tight in a cocoon of protection, we are doing the world a great disservice. Just as the mustard seed grew to become a refuge for the birds to rest their wings, we too must offer up ourselves in service to others. Our growth is not just for our benefit, but for all those who God has called us to minister to.
In what areas do you need to allow yourself to grow sisters? What shells are you afraid to break out of? Sit with the Father today in the shade of His love and ponder how you are being called to bloom in the Kingdom of God.
About the Author:
Angie Koenig is a passionate follower of Jesus working her way through life as a Millennial. She is the youngest of nine children and embraces her role as a daughter, sister, aunt and friend. Angie blogs about her love story with Jesus at www.spirituallyspokenfor.com. Currently she resides in Eau Claire, WI where she enjoys anything that involves coffee.
A friend just texted about the Seven Secrets of the Eucharist book and the idea, “What would people look like at mass if they really believed that the Eucharist was the Body, Blood, Soul, Divinity of Christ?” When they approached the altar for communion, how would they be? This is where I must grow–to really be aware of what is happening at mass and to be completely focused on what I believe at that special moment when I receive Christ!