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."
Jesus uses simple analogies to explain the mysteries of the kingdom of God; but, hearing them, we learn about ourselves. In today's gospel, the Lord describes the farmer's patience. They plow, they plant, they fertilize, they water, and they wait. After all their work, the seed grows, flourishes, and fructifies -- if conditions are right. There must be no pestilence of bugs, foraging animals, or enemy invasions. Some of these nuisances farmers can manage but they have no control of the weather.
The Lord's disciples are naturally impatient; they want to see results. I once had lunch with a student surgeon, a very intelligent, intense young man. Seeing a group of social workers enter the cafeteria, he admitted he would never have their patience. He wanted results! And he got them with his knowledge, skills, and tools. A student chaplain at the time, not yet ordained, I had no idea of the patience I should practice in my own career.
The Spirit of God sees the Kingdom of God flourish in our world. Our vision is delightful, encouraging, and sometimes satisfying. But it can also be delusional. We cannot know what will come of our efforts; the best results might be swept away as a neighborhood, city, or nation collapses under the crush of history.
Today we celebrate Saint Paul's disciples, Timothy and Titus. We know little about these men except their appointment as bishops of the first century. They could not have imagined the history we're familiar with. The day would come when the Roman Empire would declare itself Christian, and would persecute non-Christians in a most unchristian fashion. The church would build fabulous basilicas which would amaze irreligious generations of a more distant future. Christians would war against each other, each nation declaring its allegiance to truth, goodness, and beauty as they develop and deploy more clever and more barbaric weapons.
Saints Timothy and Titus were spared that vision of the future; they let that knowledge remain in the mystery of God as they obediently, hopefully proclaimed the death and resurrection of Jesus. Knowing the Lord is as much as we need to know. The rest belongs to God.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.