“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed”
What does the meaning behind the parable of the Mustard Seed? “Here, the man is Jesus Christ and the field, the world. The grain of mustard seed is the preaching of the Gospel and the Church, which from very small beginnings will spread throughout the world. The parable clearly refers to the universal scope and spread of the Kingdom of God: the Church, which embraces all mankind of every kind and condition, in every latitude and in all ages, is forever developing in spite of obstacles, thanks to God’s promise and aid." [1]
How is Christ like the mustard seed? Jesus is the catalyst, the start of the Church. From the blood of the cross began the very roots that will take hold with the apostles and their disciples who would share in the same fate as Christ. St. Gregory expounds this whole parable, “Christ Himself is the grain of mustard seed, who was planted in the sepulcher of the garden, and rose again a mighty tree. He was but a grain when He died; a tree when He rose again. A grain through lowliness of the flesh; a tree by the power of His majesty. A grain, because we saw Him, and there was no comeliness; but a tree because He was fairer than the children of men. The branches of this tree are sacred preachers. And let us see how widely they are spread. For what is spoken concerning them? Their sound is gone out into all the earth, and their words unto the end of the world. The birds rest in their branches, because holy souls who lift up themselves from earthly thoughts by the wings, as it were, of virtues are refreshed after the fatigue of this life by their words and their consolations.” [2]
How can Christ be the King and the Kingdom? Christ is both. “It is replied: as a king is as it were the head in a kingdom, so a kingdom is as the body of a king. Wherefore a king represents the whole state or kingdom. Hence according to the rule of Ticonius, often in Scripture what belongs to the Church, which is the kingdom of Christ, is attributed to Christ, and vice versa.” [3]
Story of Saint Lawrence of Rome 225-258
Saint Lawrence was one of the seven deacons in Rome, and was charged to help the poor. He worked under Pope Saint Sixtus. When the emperor of Rome called for the execution of Pope St. Sixtus, Lawrence followed him crying out, “Father, where are you going without your deacon?” The Pope replied, “I am not leaving you, my son, in three days you will follow me.” Lawrence at once gave all he had to the poor and sold off everything he owned. The same day, the Prefect of Rome demanded Lawrence to bring the Church’s treasure to him thinking the Church had some wealth hidden away. Lawrence came to the Prefect three days later with all the poor and sick people he was able to gather who were supported by the Church. St. Lawrence said, “This is the Church’s treasure!” The Prefect was so angry by this he demanded for a slow and painful death of Lawrence. The Saint was tied on top of an iron grill over a slow fire that roasted his flesh little by little. Saint Lawrence, full of ecstasy (wrapped up in God’s love), hardly felt the pain of the flames. At one point he said mockingly, “Turn me over I’m done on this side!” Just before he died he said, “It’s cooked enough now.” He then began to pray for the city of Rome and this it might convert to Jesus and the Catholic Church might be able to spread throughout the whole world. He is the patron of chefs, against fires, comedians, cooks, poor people, school children, deacons, seminarians, stained glass workers, and other things. St. Lawrence’s feast day is August 10th. Connecting Saint Lawrence’s life and the parable of the mustard seed, St. Augustine wrote, “We may compare the holy martyr Laurence to a grain of mustard seed; for he, being bruised by various sufferings, deserved to become fragrant throughout the whole world by the grace of his martyrdom. He, when he was in the body, was humble, unknown, and held in low estimation; but after he had been bruised, torn, and burnt he diffused the odour of his nobleness in the churches in all the world. Rightly, therefore, is the comparison applied to him. For Laurence, when he suffers, is inflamed. The fervour of its attrition moves the one; Laurence breathes forth fire in his manifold tribulations. Mustard, I say, is cooked in a small vessel; Laurence is roasted on the gridiron by the fiery flame. Blessed Laurence the martyr was burnt outwardly by the flames of the raging tyrant, but he was inflamed inwardly by the far greater fire of the love of Christ.” [4]
The First Reading on this Sunday’s readings is from Wisdom, which says, “You show your strength when men doubt the completeness of your power, and you rebuke any insolence among those who know it.” (Wisdom 12:17) Jesus is telling us through this parable that God shows us His strength even in such a small seed. Many will mock and rebuke God because they do not see the fullness or completeness of God’s amazing power. However, in just a short span of time He shows how the leadership of just twelve men can turn a small seed into the worlds largest and only true religion. God continues to show his great power in his saints like Saint Laurence, who through their own heroic witness of virtue continue to perpetuate the growth of the Church
Why is the Church compared to a grain of mustard-seed? “Because there is a great similarity between them. The mustard-seed, though so small, grows in Palestine so high and so rapidly, that it becomes a broad tree, in which birds can build their nests. In like manner the Church of Christ was in the beginning very small like the mustard-seed, but it soon spread so wide that numberless people, even great philosophers and princes, came to find peace and protection under its branches.” [5]
Christ and the Church are one. There is only one Body, the Body of Christ, the Church. The tree is both Christ and the Church. “It is an absurd dichotomy to love Christ without the Church; to listen to Christ but not the Church; to be with Christ at the margins of the Church. One cannot do this. It is an absurd dichotomy,” [6]
In this historic video (for just the video view from 31:42 to 38:42) Pope Francis speaks to Kenneth Copeland about fraternal unity and charity. He gives reference to the brothers of Joseph in the Old Testament. Joseph’s brothers were hungry and thus they came with their money to Egypt to find food. In Egypt they found more than food, they found their brother. Many of the faithful who are at the margins of the Church have money yet they still hunger. May their hunger lead them to the fullness of truth in the Body of Christ the Church. May they find in the Church not only food but also a brother. Pope Francis speaks from the heart and speaks as a brother. May those whose watch this video see Pope Francis first as brother and then come to know him as a Holy Father.
In this chant [Psalm 84] we sing a song about the Church in a twofold sense: she is the house of God (Psalm 84) and the congregation of the faithful (Psalm 86). It is Jesus Christ the Vine that is the tree that all of the faithful find shelter, refuge and nourishment.
Why does Jesus speak about birds nestling in its branches? Jesus is referencing the prophet Ezekiel who says, “On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it. It shall put forth branches and bear fruit, and become a majestic cedar. Every small bird will nest under it, all kinds of winged birds will dwell in the shade of its branches.” (Ezekiel 17:23) and again “In its braches nested all the birds of the sky; Under its boughs all the wild animals gave birth, And in its shade dwelt all the mighty nations.” (Ezekiel 31:6) The birds nesting in the tree represent the people of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom during Ezekiel’s time. Jesus is again showing how he comes to fulfill every prophecy told that God would do for His people through the Messiah. The birds can also be seen as the souls not just of Ezekiel’s time, but also of all time. “The birds that come and dwell upon it, are, as the holy fathers interpret it, the souls of men aspiring to the eternal goods of the better world. If we are worthy of our name of Christians, we shall love this tree, and find our rest and safety nowhere but beneath its shade.” [7] Jesus calls all souls who labor and are burdened to come to Him and find rest. (Cf. Matthew 11:28-30)
Why are these parables (mustard seed and the wheat and the weeds) lumped together? “The parables of the mustard seed and the yeast illustrate the same point: the amazing contrast between the small beginnings of the kingdom and its marvelous expansion.” [8]
[1] pgs. 106-107 The Navarre Bible Commentary
[2] lib. 19 Moral. c. 11.
[3] Cornelius a Lapide, The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide Gospel of St. Matthew pg. 141
[4] Augustine, Serm. 33 de Sanc.
[5] The Church’s Year pg. 101
[6] Pope Francis; Homily January 30, 2014
[7] Abbot Gueranger, O.S.B., The Liturgical Year, Book 4
[8] NAB footnotes pg. 3644