Jesus is not trying to hide something! Rather, He speaks to the crowds in parables because He wants to expand their minds and their hearts and so reveal the ways of the Kingdom to them. Laws, concrete explanations and moral teachings have their place, but they tend to only address specific situations. Teaching on all possible situations is impossible, and any attempt to do so would soon become tedious and not very memorable. The crowd would have simply ‘switched off.’

Jesus’ parables, on the other hand, are remarkable in their simplicity, and yet even the most sophisticated of disciples cannot exhaust their depth. Rather like the mustard seed in His parable, Jesus’ parables plant a seed in one’s mind and heart so that the Kingdom of God might take root there.

Today the Church celebrates the life of a remarkable priest, St John Bosco. He dedicated his life to serving the Kingdom of God, especially by offering education to some of the most disadvantaged youth in his community. He understood the power of planting a seed through education, using methods adapted to the needs of his students. In doing so, he lifted them from material poverty and a poverty of mind and spirit.

Let us pray today for all educators, especially those in our Catholic schools. With God’s help, and by their words and example, may they too plant the seeds of the Kingdom. Let us also pray for the students, that with the seed of faith implanted, they will become living expressions of the mustard shrub, offering shade, shelter, and refuge to all those they encounter.

by Fr Michael Grace