We continue reading from the Parables of the Kingdom and today we have two short but very meaningful parables. The first parable speaks of a single mustard seed which a farmer sows in his field. It is a tiny seed and yet, once it has taken root, it begins to grow and can develop into a large shrub, where even birds can find shelter. This is a parable of encouragement. At the time these words were written, the Church consisted of tiny communities scattered in cities and towns over the Eastern Mediterranean. They were cut off from each other and often subjected to savage persecution. They must have wondered if they had a future. If only they could see the Church today! They would be flabbergasted. The tiny seed has become a huge tree sheltering hundreds of millions! Today, we need the same confidence. A Church firmly built on Truth and Love must endure. The second parable compares the Kingdom to a woman mixing yeast in a large batch of dough. Anyone who has seen bread being made knows how the dough under the influence of the yeast can almost double its original size. What is Jesus saying here? He is saying that the Reign of God will only be spread throughout the world as long as we are totally inserted into that world. There can always be a temptation for us to 'preserve' our Faith by locking ourselves away. The Kingdom of God will never become a reality if we do that. As Jesus says elsewhere, his followers are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.