Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Matthew 13: 31-35
July 28, 2025 | Monday

Today’s Gospel

Jesus offered them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.

It is smaller than all other seeds, but once it is fully grown, it is bigger than any garden plant; like a tree, the birds come and rest in its branches.”

He told them another parable, “The kingdom of heaven is like the yeast that a woman took, and hid in three measures of flour, until the whole mass of dough began to rise.”

Jesus taught all these things to the crowds by means of parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. This fulfilled what was spoken by the Prophet: I will speak in parables. I will proclaim things kept secret since the beginning of the world.

Today’s Reflection

Jesus is known for His storytelling, as He did most of His teachings through parables. Insights are gained, and indelible impressions are left in the mind of the lessons learned since they are easy to imagine and understand. In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us two parables about the kingdom of heaven.

In the first parable, Jesus likens the“kingdom of heaven” to a mustard seed, the “smallest of all seeds, yet when fully grown is the largest of plants . . . and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.” The growth of the Church is a vivid illustration of this parable. Jesus sowed the seeds of the Good News to a small band of inconsequential disciples in an insignificant place. From this small beginning, the Church sprouted and steadily swelled into a spiritual global family of billions of followers united in faith, worship, devotion, and fellowship. In the heart of every Christian, a small seed of faith was planted, and the kingdom grew within him. We are blessed to be part of the Church, which teaches God’s word and guides us in living according to it as we continue to help the Church grow.

In the second parable, Jesus likens the kingdom of heaven to the minute yeast, which, when mixed and made to permeate a lump of dough, activates it to expand into bread when baked; God’s Word is a small spark that transforms us into becoming devoted, dynamic, and dependable disciples diffusing His gospel of love and salvation to the world. Jesus does not demand dramatic deeds from us. Rather, we should slowly but consistently change ourselves day by day to be reflective of His humility, goodness, and compassion so that we can be catalysts to change others. As we do God’s work, let us pray for His guidance and protection, aware and accepting that any attainment or achievement is due to His will, not ours.

/Vulnerasti, 2025