The Mystery of Germination
I fondly remember my fascination with my schoolboy experiment of germination. As countless others the world over, we were required to place a couple of beans in a glass jar with wet tissue paper. Then miraculously with each passing day the different phases of germination unfolded.
In this week’s Gospel Mark 4: 26-34 Jesus says ‘(the Kingdom of God) is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear then the full grain in the ear.’
Reflecting on this cherished memory, I am reminded of the profound parallels between the simple act of watching seeds sprout and the deeper spiritual message conveyed in this week’s Gospel. Just as my childhood beans sprouted and flourished seemingly by magic, the Kingdom of God also grows in mysterious and wondrous ways. The process, often unseen and beyond our understanding, illustrates the beauty and mystery of divine growth and grace.
In yesterday’s reflection, we likened the Kingdom of God to a force or tone that permeates and manifests itself, seeing it as a power inherent in creation. It is God's reign, the dynamic essence of growth and grace. Today’s metaphor of the seed growing in secret until it bears fruit is particularly apt.
It reminds us that the divine influence works quietly and invisibly, transforming our lives and the world around us. This slow, steady, and sometimes imperceptible progress towards fullness and maturity is a testament to the patience and persistence of the Kingdom. Like the seeds planted in my school experiment, the Kingdom of God is always at work, unfolding its promise of abundant life in ways we may not fully comprehend but can always trust.
The Kingdom of God cannot be stopped. It is creation's destiny, we can do no more than collaborate or temporarily hinder it. Like the seeds scattered by the man, it spouts and grows we know not how. Jesus is inviting us to be part of this unfolding reign of God.
Our role is to nurture and support this divine process, to cultivate the soil of our hearts and communities so that the seeds of God's Kingdom can flourish. Through acts of love, kindness, and justice, we participate in the mysterious and powerful work of God, contributing to the inevitable fruition of His divine plan. The Kingdom grows with or without us, but in embracing our part in it, we find purpose and joy in being co-creators of a world where God's grace and goodness abound.
NOTICE BOARD
We colloborate with the growth of the Kingdom of God by aligning our lives to Jesus’ way. Two practices of this way is Christian Meditation and Lectio Divina. Together with living the priciples of the Rule of St Benedict we become Christ like. This is why we offer our Benedictine Spirituality Program. Please click on the links below to find out more.