Fourth Sunday after Pentecost 2024

Mark 4,26-34

Rev. Neli Miranda

 

Jesus began his ministry in Galilee by proclaiming the good news of God, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news" (1,15). Jesus did not explain what the Kingdom of God was, but surely his audience knew what he was announcing. For many centuries the people of Israel had suffered domination and oppression at the hands of their own kings and foreign kingdoms. So, the people’s longing for the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth arose amid suffering, under perverse human kingdoms. One can only imagine the people’s joyous rejoicing when Jesus made his announcement of the good news. . . the Kingdom of God was among them!!

Today’s gospel presents us with two parables that speak of the Kingdom of God. Parables, a traditional method of teaching in Jesus’ time, are not explanations but a way to provoke the listeners’ thinking, so that they themselves may find the parable’s deep teachings. Jesus’ parables use simple language and are filled with images of daily life; however, the messages they convey are profound, and on many occasions the articulation of these images impacted the traditional stereotypes of first century Jewish society.

The first parable we read today speaks of an image we all recognize, that is, the sowing of a seed, its germination and its growth process until the final fruit. How many of us have sown a seed and cared for it for weeks until it bears fruit? How many times have we spoiled the process because of our anxiety to “help” the seed germinate and grow! In the parable, the sower scatters the seed and lets the natural process take its course. The sower does nothing after scattering the seed… No human being can make a seed germinate and stretch it out to grow and bear fruit. This is a wonderful natural process! It is God who allows germination, gives growth, and blesses with an abundant harvest!

So, why does Jesus compare the Kingdom of God to a scattered seed on the ground, which naturally grows until it bears an abundant harvest? How does this parable provoke 21st century Christians who have great confidence in human knowledge and techniques? Perhaps, this parable urges us to recognize that in order to celebrate the fruits of the Kingdom of God, we must first sow the seeds. Perhaps, the parable tells us that we should be like the sower who simply goes about scattering good seed and have hope in divine grace that the seed will bear good fruit. The act of scattering the good seed and trusting in God’s providence are two significant elements highlighted in this parable.

The second parable speaks of the mustard seed, a symbol traditionally associated with something small. However, the key in the parable is not only the small seed but the type of shrub it becomes and how it offers the possibility of a nest for birds. In Israel, the mustard plant was common, ordinary, abundant, and it was even considered a weed due to its invasive quality. So, why does Jesus compare the Kingdom of God to a mustard plant which is not even a tree but a shrub that only grows to 10 feet tall? Why doesn’t Jesus compare the Kingdom of God to a majestic cedar of Lebanon 100 feet tall? The image of the mustard may have even come to be offensive to Jesus’ audience. It is like comparing ourselves to chickens instead of eagles in today’s context. In practical terms, I would prefer a chicken that provides sustenance rather than a distant, magnificent eagle soaring in the sky. Similarly, while there were no cedars growing in the land of Israel, there were numerous mustard plants that offered shelter to many birds. No wonder Jesus proclaimed: “The Kingdom of God is among you!”

Where do we find the Kingdom of God today? Is the Kingdom of God solely in heaven, reserved for the afterlife? Do we expect to encounter it only upon our death? How do we envision the Kingdom of God…?

The Kingdom of God is like a joyful child having fun, a mother nursing her child, a peasant working hard to bring food to his family… How do you imagine the Kingdom of God?

Brothers and sisters, why do we not see good fruits growing in our midst? It is because we are not scattering the seeds! In a world where many people scatter seeds of hatred and violence and where evil grows among us, let us be the ones who scatter seeds of justice and peace everywhere. Let us then daily pray: “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come!” Today, we also learn that Jesus teaches in simple, ordinary, and comprehensible terms. So, we do not need an complex vocabulary to speak about the Kingdom of God in our time. Let these beautiful parables provoke and challenge our traditional ideas about the Kingdom of God.  Let us listen to Jesus! Amen.