Monday of week 17 in Ordinary Time
Saint Titus Brandsma
Gospel: Matthew 13:31-35In today’s Gospel, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a tiny mustard seed that grows into a large tree and to a little yeast that transforms an entire measure of flour. God’s way of working often begins with what appears small, hidden, and insignificant. We may sometimes hesitate to do good because our efforts seem too little to make any real difference. Yet the Gospel reminds us that the fruit does not depend only on the size of our action, but on the power of God working through it. A small act of kindness, a quiet prayer, a word of encouragement, a courageous stand for truth, or a simple gesture of forgiveness can become the seed of something far greater than we can imagine. Titus Brandsma lived this confidence, remaining faithful to truth and human dignity even when his individual resistance seemed powerless before an enormous machinery of oppression. The Kingdom grows because God multiplies what we place faithfully into His hands. Our task is therefore not always to accomplish great things, but to offer our small efforts with great faith, trusting that God can make even the smallest seed bear an abundant and lasting harvest. Let’s reflect: Do I trust God enough to offer Him even my smallest efforts, believing that His grace can transform them into fruits far greater than I can imagine?
Don Giorgio