SMALL BUT WONDERFUL

Tuesday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time
Lk 13:18-21

“Small but terrible,” we heard it many times. And quite often it is true! A small tooth cavity can become a terrible tooth ache. A small splinter in the hand can mean a terrible pain. A small pebble inside the shoe is a terrible inconvenience. A small mischief can yield into a terrible disaster. A small persistent voice can be a terrible annoyance. A small ill-behaved kid is a terrible nuisance. So many other “smalls” that are nonetheless terrible.
But not all “smalls” are terrible. Today, Jesus tells us about something that is small but not terrible. The kingdom of God is small but wonderful!

The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds, but when planted becomes a tree that provides a home for the birds of the air. The kingdom of God is like yeast that makes the dough rise. Small? Yes. But terrible? No. Rather, the kingdom of God is small but wonderful.

We do not have to be big to be wonderful. Jesus is big but He chose to be small for us. Like a mustard seed, when He is planted in our hearts, our hearts can be a life-giving tree. Like yeast, when He is in us, we shall rise. Jesus is God’s kingdom in person. We do not only arrive at the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God arrives in us. When we have Jesus in our hearts, our hearts in themselves become the kingdom of God. When Jesus is in our life, we ourselves become God’s kingdom. And we do not have to be big for that.