The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friends in Christ,

In today's Gospel reading (Matt. 13:31-35), Jesus gives us another parable of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed or like leaven. Each is small and seemingly insignificant but develops into something great. Jesus is the seed or the leaven that appears small and insignificant. He died and was buried like a seed or like leaven. Yet He rose from the dead even greater than before.

The Kingdom of Heaven in our lives begins in the same manner — small and apparently insignificant. Often, we must say with the father of a demon-possessed boy, "I do believe, Lord; help my unbelief" (Mark 9:23). Faith in us often begins small and insignificant, but if we protect it and nurture it, with the grace of God, it will grow and develop into something wonderful.

Virtues also develop in this way. Charity or love does not develop from nothing into something great and beautiful suddenly — it is something that begins small and then grows gradually. Love starts small and develops over time. The newlyweds have love for each other, but it is still small; it must grow, develop, and mature throughout the rest of their lives. When, after forty or more years of married life, husband and wife still say, "I love you," it has much greater meaning and truth than it did when they pronounced this love on their wedding day. Their love in the beginning was not false, but it was still undeveloped or immature. It is in protecting, nurturing, and exercising the virtues that they grow and become magnificent or great. Love grows by making frequent denials of oneself for another; along with the increased frequency (quantity) of the self-denial, there is also an increase in the quality of the sacrifices. As love intensifies, the sacrifices increase in both quantity and quality. We have the perfect example in Jesus offering Himself to The Father, for us, as He hung upon the Cross. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life, for those whom he loves.

No matter how strong our love may be at any point in life, there is always room to grow, and we can always love more. The same can be said of all the virtues as well. What begins small can become great. A tiny seed, if properly cared for, will become a great tree.

There is also another side of this to consider. Sin and vice often begin as something small and apparently insignificant. The demons do not usually tempt us to rebel against God in any big way in the beginning. They start small and lead us gradually to open rebellion or mortal sin. An evil thought is presented to us, which, if not resisted, is entertained, and then pleasure is derived from the thought. From that pleasure, a desire arises that soon sends out its roots and branches into the world through our words and actions. The words and actions themselves begin small and hidden — perhaps a little risqué — but they soon become more open and bold. If we allow the seed of sin to hide in our hearts, minds, and souls, it soon develops massively, and we then find it impossible to get it out.

The kingdom of Hell works just like the Kingdom of Heaven, only in reverse. Small sins become bigger ones just as small virtues become bigger ones. We must pay attention and be cautious of beginnings. The beginning seems simple enough or small enough — almost insignificant, but it does not remain so for very long. When the United States was being developed, people were warned as they traveled West to choose their paths carefully. The wagon wheels wore deeper and deeper ruts in the path, and once one started down a well-traveled road it would become impossible to get out of the ruts and off that road for many miles. It is easy to choose or reject sin or virtue at first, just as it is easy to choose which road to take. The longer we stay in sin, or the longer we stay on the same road, the more difficult it becomes to change.

While we must watch for the small beginnings of sin or vice, it is just as important to actively seek out the small beginnings of grace and virtue. Little sins do not seem to frighten us, but they should because of what they develop into. The practice of little sacrifices and little virtuous acts seems unimportant or irrelevant, but they are not because they can develop into great graces and virtues. It is a small thing to dedicate the little things we do to God, but the reward is tremendous. Our Morning Offering takes a moment, but it sets the stage for the rest of our day. All our thoughts, words, and deeds throughout the day become little acts of love that grow and mature. By the end of the day, week, month, year, decade, etc., they become large, fruitful, and bountiful — providing shelter, food, example, and encouragement for many others.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspire, guide, and protect us.

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