Journey of Faith, July 19, 2020

Good things come in small packages… remember that saying? The parable of the tiny mustard seed is our teaching moment of the day.

We easily notice people who are called to great achievement and succeed in their calling. How can we ever forget all the magnificent souls serving on the frontlines during our global pandemic, at home and overseas? But there are everyday heroes as well that don’t get the headlines, and I’m sure you know them: a family member who stays up all night with a loved one who is ill… a teacher who takes extra time with a struggling student… an employer who encourages a worker to go on to night school. Maybe you’re one of these people. I wouldn’t be surprised.

Rather than get caught up in trying to do what the world calls “big things,” let’s acknowledge how much good the “small things” can do. Plant one mustard seed—a kind gesture, a spontaneous hello—and see how it often grows into life-changing things like hope, gratitude—and a desire to return the favor.

Then there are the “mustard seeds” you loose track of. During my days in the Altiplano of Peru, I returned to a village I had visited sometime earlier. A woman greeted me and said, “Father, do you remember how much the words you said during Mass on All Souls Day helped me?” Honestly, I had no memory of this. But she did. She was grieving for a loved one and whatever I said at the time was a comfort.

You never know how your mission spirit is going to impact someone’s life. So just be generous. Plant mustard seeds every day—as many as you can. And then watch the kingdom of heaven come to life in all its glory.

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