Jesus proposed another parable to them, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the biggest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the 'birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.'" He spoke to them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened."
All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables. He spoke to them only in parables, to fulfill what had been said through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world."
The Word in other words
Self transformation and religious conversion, being watchful and ready for the Lord's coming, demands a change of perspectives. How does a perspective work?
Francis of Assisi literally lived Jesus' commandment of love. True to the Gospel, he was compassionate even to the Saracens, infidels and thieves: "Come, brother robbers, we are all brothers and we have some good wine." (L.Boff, Saint Francis, 1982). His love extended to creatures. He would serve honey and wine to the wild bees during winter. He would remove worms from his path so as not to hurt them, For he believed that living things reflected their Creator's love and were thus a source of wonder and deserving of reverence. Such a perspective influences human conduct.
Gandhi was known for his belief in ahimsa, a policy of nonviolence towards all living things. He would not extinguish the life of mosquitoes, scorpions or snakes. When a poisonous snake appeared in his ashram, he would pick it up and set it free in a field. Likewise, Albert Schweitzer, a Nobel Prize winner, espoused "reverence of life," believing in its sacredness in all forms, For him, man must be humane to all living things. When his wife trapped some rats, he would set then free. He himself would not catch fish, shoot birds, harm an animal or step n a flower.
These three persons shared the same perspective on nonviolence whereby they would not kill insects (Wallechinsky D. et al, The Book of Lists, 1977). Their attitude no matter how unusual indicates that perspective in powerful. It is intimately linked with human transformation. Let us then embrace Jesus' perspective, his words. In that way, we would be responding appropriately to the gospel's challenge. Francis of Assisi was enjoying an affluent life but he radically embraced a lady, Lady Poverty, after his long illness. Leo Tolstoy's writings on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount led Gandhi to love Jesus himself and his words. He was not a christian convert but his critics describes him as a "secret Christian". Do we have that intense desire to love Jesus' transforming words like Gandhi? Was there a time when I decided to become an authentic Christian? Tolstoy used to grapple with this question: "Was I merely play acting as a Christian?" Let us be one with him in this concern. Albert Schweitzer's decision to engage a mission in Africa and establish a hospital there was motivated by Jesus: Seek first the Kingdom of God. Let us strive to feel the dynamism of the Spirit as we hear, listen and read the words of Jesus.
- Fr. Martin I. Mandin, SVD (SAJP, Cainta, Rizal)
