In his parables, Jesus often uses images from everyday life. However, mixed in with the familiar there is often an element of the unexpected. Flour is a common item, still very familiar to us today. Yet, surprisingly, the woman uses three measures of flour - a staggering amount, well over 100 cups! In spite of this, a small amount of yeast is enough to make all the dough rise.

Today's parables each involve the idea of something hidden. The mustard seed starts off small; the yeast is not obvious at first. With time, however, what is hidden becomes evident to all. The Kingdom of God is like this.

For the early Christians, who lived as a minority, this must have provided much hope and encouragement. Today, we too may live in a society in which only a minority of people live by Christian values. In comparison to the larger population, our Church community may seem small; the effects of our service may seem like a drop in the ocean.

Today's simple but powerful parables invite us to persist in living out Gospel values. Even though it is not always obvious, the Kingdom of God is here. God wants it to grow and rise in the hearts of all people.

Do I see hidden signs of the Kingdom in my life and society?