Monday 28 July 2025 - What has been hidden

Monday 28 July 2025

Today is Monday the 28th of July, in the 17th week of Ordinary Time. Jon Guerra sings, ‘The Kingdom of Jesus’. As you listen, notice how you imagine the Kingdom of Jesus...does an image from this song help you? To what shall we compare the Kingdom of Jesus if not a seed? It's small, it's sown, it's tended and grown and it's stirred in you and me Its branches never break and its fruit never withers His Kingdom is not of this world or of any Kingdom whose ruler's face is on a penny He comes to make all things bright and put a new wine in us He's chosen the small things to outlast the great The meek and the merciful to shine through the hate Though it seems some days that Hell and its gates are prevailing Oh, say can you see the kingdom within us Is the Kingdom of Jesus? To what shall we compare the spirit of the hour if not a sword? It frees us, unites us, enslaves and divides us and violence, help us Lord His Kingdom is not of this world or of any Kingdom whose ruler's face is on a penny He comes to make all things bright and put a new wine in us He's chosen the small things to outlast the great The meek and the merciful to shine through the hate Though it seems some days that Hell and its gates are prevailing Oh say can't you see we have one allegiance? It's to the Kingdom of Jesus He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world He who is in us is greater and He's overcome the world Oh His Kingdom is not one of slander or rage But one that is ruled by the Lamb who was slain And is worthy of wisdom and honour and glory and strength No pain, no division, no public disgrace Will compare with seeing the smile on His face As He welcomes the poor as children with places at the table Not a death, nor threat, nor power can ever separate us From the love of God forever in Christ Jesus Everything shall pass away but not the Word that's within us It's the Kingdom of Jesus Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 13:31-35 [Jesus] put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’ He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’ Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. This was to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet: ‘I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.’ Matthew suggests that Jesus used parables so as to reveal hidden mysteries, yet we are left to make up our own minds about their meaning. How do the images of the mustard seed and the yeast in the flour help you to understand the kingdom of Heaven? Give time for your imagination to find an answer. The parable of the mustard seed is about the smallest of all seeds growing to the size of a tree. What do you see as small and insignificant in your life, or in the world that, with enough faith, hope and love, could grow into something that sustains and shelters others? Without yeast, bread can’t rise and become nourishing. What grace do you need to become bread for others? As the reading is repeated, notice how the images in the parables take hold of your imagination and speak to you. Matthew 13:31-35 [Jesus] put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’ He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’ Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. This was to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet: ‘I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.’ If you were one of the crowd listening to Jesus and his parables, how would you respond to what you heard? Would there be questions you would want to ask? Take a few minutes to speak to Jesus from your heart. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be World without end Amen