How do you nurture your faith experience?
By: Joe Limeri –Faith Formation Minister – Our Lady Star of the Sea Church
A Reflection on the Gospel of Matthew 13: 31-32
The Mustard Seed
31 He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; 32 and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the [r]air come and nest in its branches.”
As with some busy Catholic people these days, most encounter their faith experience as if they are going through the fast food drive through…Fast and on the run. They attend mass on Sunday, get their spiritual fill for the week and off they go until next week. Too much to do, many chores to perform around the house, places to go, activities with the children occupy most of your time. Barely enough time to satisfy the spiritual hunger that roars inside.
Jesus tells us in the Parable of the Mustard Seed that the mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds. If you ever took a look at one of them you would understand. Our faith experience begins when we are united with Christ through the sacrament of Baptism. Through Baptism, God sows the seeds of faith in each of our hearts waiting for the nurturing that will follow..
Speaking about seeds, last summer I thought that it would be exciting to grow a variety of vegetables. Instead of buying already grown seedlings as I usually do, I decided to shake up my usual routine by starting the process with seeds.…Tomato, Basil, Peppers and Summer Squash. In the late spring, I planted these seeds using large containers filled with the best soil. I placed these in a location where I knew they would get the best sunlight. After about a week had gone by slowly but surely, I noticed the tiny green sprouts emerging from the soil. I was very excited to know that the special care I provided was able to render positive results. After a few more weeks, I seen that most of the seedlings grew into beautiful trees or bushes that yielded plenty of vegetables.
Somewhat like our faith experiences…If we take the time to properly nourish our faith experiences, it will render good and positive results. Let God’s abundant grace be upon you as is the sunshine. Let your heart be open to accept God’s Word. Make the time to nuture your spiritual life. And take that leap of faith to encounter God’s love by starting a personal relationship with Jesus.
