“I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world.”

 In today’s Gospel passage we hear Jesus use parables to compare the kingdom of God, two about seeds and one that compares yeast mixed with flour. The messages in the parables can be expressed in more modern maxims: “Bloom where you are planted” Be the person God created you to be, despite the challenges in the world around you that try to distract and discourage you. “It is not how much you give, it is why you give it” Giving what you can to the common good is important, no matter how small you think it may be. “It is not the size of the dog in the fight that counts, it is the size of the fight in the dog.” Determination and tenacity in the pursuit of what is right and good will win against any challenge, no matter how great. The people listening to Jesus faced the same challenges and concerns that we face today. Jesus used parables to teach and encourage his disciples, and us, to bloom, to grow, to increase and improve the world in which we live.