The Mustard Seed

The Mustard Seed

Searching in heaven and on earth, does he find nothing except the grain of mustard seed by which to indicate the full power of the heavenly Kingdom? That Kingdom is uniquely mighty, blessed with everlasting duration, resplendent in its divinity, spread throughout heaven, and expanded over all the earth. Does he force and insert it within the narrow limits of a grain of mustard seed? Is that the complete hope of those who believe? Is that the highest expectation of the faithful? Is that the happiness which the virgins gain by their long struggles for continence? Is that the glory acquired by the shedding of all the blood of the martyrs? Is that what eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man? Is that what the Apostle promises has been prepared, through an indescribable mystery, for those who love God?

Let us not be easily troubled over the Lord’s words. For if the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men, this tiniest creature of God is found to be something more magnificent than all the greatness of the world. Oh, if we would only sow this grain of mustard seed in our minds in such a way that it will grow into a great tree of knowledge, and through the full height of understanding be raised toward the sky; that it will spread out into all the branches of the sciences; that it will burn our tingling mouths with the pungent taste of its seed! Thus it will burn for us with all the fire of its seed, and break into flame in our heart, and through the pleasure of taste it gives us take away all the insipidity of our ignorance….

As the text says, the Kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard seed, because the Kingdom is brought by a word from heaven, is received through hearing, is sown by Faith, takes root through belief, grows by hope, is diffused by profession, expands through virtue, and is spread out into branches. To these branches it invites the birds of heaven, that is, the powers of spiritual insight. In those branches it receives them in a peaceful abode.

Saint Peter Chrysologus

Saint Peter Chrysologus († 450), Doctor of the Church, was Archbishop of Ravenna, Italy.