Two parables about the Kingdom. St Ignatius Loyola is supposed to have said once: 'Do everything as if all depended on God and nothing on oneself and at the same time as if everything depended on self and nothing on God.' The first parable today reminds us that the building of the Kingdom in our world is very much like the work of a farmer. It is ultimately God's work. We plant the seed by our own efforts but the resulting harvest is the work of God, working silently night and day. Then, when the harvest is ready, it is again our turn to do the reaping.

The second parable is similar. The beginnings of the Church were tiny and the task looked overwhelming. Yet, just as the tiny mustard seed can develop into a large bush in which even birds can find shelter so the Christian community can grow and flourish and be a source of light and comfort for large numbers of people. And this is something we need to remember whenever the Church seems small, weak and vulnerable. Ultimately, God's truth and love will prevail because deep down it is what everyone seeks.