Lk 13:18-21 The Real Deal

Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
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Jesus said, "What is the Kingdom of God like?  To what can I compare it?  It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.  When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches."

Tried and Tested.  It is easy to think that Christianity has failed.  After all, look at all the mess we Christians are in.  But perception is not always reality.  With the exception of a few brave souls and for some brief and scattered moments in time, the problem is not that Christianity has failed.  The problem is that it hasn't really been tried.

The world should not expect anything from atheism, and atheists do not want the world to expect anything from them, for they are the first to admit that they cannot agree on anything, except that God does not exist.  So they can neither fail the world or help it to succeed.

But Christianity fails to rescue the world only when Christians are not, well, very Christian; priests are not very holy; Confessions are not very honest; Communion is not properly received; and Baptism is only a tradition. 

We can easily fail to become fully grown if the seed is thrown and left alone.

But if it is planted, then watch out!  Once it is fully grown, it promises the world a safe zone, a peaceful place, a resting place, an oasis of life, a waterfall for the body, a spa for the soul.

"Brothers and sisters:  Creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God" (Rom 8:18).

We are these kids!  The world is waiting for us grow up and to burst onto the world scene and shed some light.  Creation awaits Christians.  It is dying for us to bring back color to this black and white world; to show mercy and compassion to a world filled with hatred and revenge. 

The world needs Christians, and not much more.  It does not need the World Bank.  It needs hearts full of gold.  It does not need us to be more efficient.  It needs us to be less wasteful.  It does not need more Navy SEALS, it needs more Christians, people like Jesus Christ, lovers of souls.  It does not need us to have more jails, it needs us to protect and promote the sanctity of marriage and family, two essential ingredients for healthy minds, bodies and souls.  It does not need us to promote abortions, for children are like flowers, and the world can never have enough flowers.    

The world needs Christians, real life Christians, not in name alone but in real life; not some sort of representation but the real thing, the real deal.

So what are we waiting for?  The position?  The title?  The money?  Do I think I need money to do great things?  Do I think I need a title to get people to listen to me?  Do I believe I need to be in a position of authority to get things done?   None of these things are required.  What is required is faith and humility.  Has Christ's Word failed me or have my words (and the words of so many others) failed me?  

Though He was betrayed and abandoned, beaten and bruised, twisted and put to death, "the Lord has done marvels for us" (Ps 126:3a). 

We should never get bored of our faith until we have actually lived it.  We should not give up on it until we have climbed to the top of it.  We should never lose our faith until we have actually tried it.  Until then, we are not who we claim to be.