Gospel Thoughts Today: Plant Killer to Plant Mom

I do not have a green thumb . . . at all. Over the years I have watched the demise of a multitude of plants, inside and in planters outside. They all start off so beautiful and healthy. Then, I forget to water them. Fertilize? Yeah, not even in my thought process. I have two fake larger plants in our home, along with some fake flowers I stuck in a vase I got for our granddaughter's room at our house (she quickly pulled them out and said they had to be REAL flowers, Mimi!). In redecorating our family room, our daughter who is helping with her amazing artistic design sense told me I had to put real plants inside . . . no convincing her of fake plants. So, I did my research and found the best indoor plant for those without green thumbs. My choice? A Money Tree! I read everything I could on taking care of it, including fertilizing, and anxiously awaited my delivery from Bloomscape. Thankfully, I found a website explaining care in words/photos, something I could understand and print just in case I needed some reminders! I am proud to tell you my Money Tree is thriving and even developed an offshoot I am going to replant in its own pot! Sometimes what seems complicated to some can be explained in a way that makes sense! Hence, the brilliance of Jesus and His parables!

In today's Gospel (Matthew 13:31-35), Jesus communicates with the crowd in words they could understand:

Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. “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 largest 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.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she asks us to take a look at ourselves and question if what we are doing is nurturing holiness or our ego:

"Some search constantly for evidence of unholiness in others. I think this might be their way of trying to fuel or protect their superiority or obtaining value for themselves in an unhealthy way. Superiority is something that requires constant feeding, like an addiction. Just as a cigarette smoker needs a nicotine fix periodically, a superiority addict needs to look down on someone periodically. Anyone will do. Those around this type of addict will suffer the most but if the superiority addict must go outside of his inner circle, he is happy to do that. Reading the daily newspaper can work for him in a pinch, but one addicted to superiority will eventually find himself searching for reasons to condemn even the holiest souls. This should make our skin crawl with revulsion. Really. It should. I suspect that what is happening is that it is easier to snatch affirmation in small unhealthy doses this way than to actually look within, meet the eyes of Christ and take whatever affirmation we merit in truth while accepting the growth challenges that Jesus puts before us. I often wonder if these people think they are going to get into heaven by citing the unholiness of others rather than standing on their own holiness. Do they think Jesus will ask them to regale Him with stories about the darkness of the times and the sins committed by those around them? Jesus Christ knows the sins of others and instantly factors in all mitigating and aggravating circumstances in each life. The life we will be accounting for is our own. Jesus knew the law but He was not rigid because He applied it with love and mercy. Remember that the characteristics of the Trinity include gentleness, kindness, generosity of heart, truthfulness, eagerness to serve, prudence, and humility. Where do we find these things in the behavior of the Pharisees? Where do we find these things authentically in the behavior of the superiority addicts around us? Look at Jesus in this incident. He, in one situation, exhibits all of the above characteristics. Truly, the smallest bit of contemplation on the earthly actions of Jesus Christ will take the apostle far back into the study of the place that is the divine will."

Lay apostles, Jesus has made it clear that in following Him, our path will be a series of roller coaster rides. Look at the Bible and Volumes as the bar that tightens across your lap on all the twists and turns of life! Once the ride comes to an end, we will be exactly where He intended all along . . . in His Loving Arms!

Thank you, Lord, for the parables to help those of us needing a little more explanation/visual of Your Words become crystal clear.

God bless,
Bonnie