MUSTARD SEED [MATTHEW 17:2O]

MATTHEW'S READINGS OF THE GOSPEL TEXT PRESENTS THE IMAGE OF THE SEED. THOUGH IT IS VERY SMALL AND INSIGNIFICANT, THE SEED CONTAINS ITS ENTIRE FUTURE; WITH LIGHT AND NOURISHMENT IT WILL GROW AND PROSPER. THE SEED IS A VITAL IMAGE OF FAITH IN GOD, BAPTISM, THE WORD, AND THE GREAT PARADOX AT THE CENTER OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.  GOD BRINGS FLOURISHING LIFE OUT OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE LITTLE, DORMANT, EVEN DEAD. IT IS PRIMARY IMAGE OF FAITH'S CENTRAL MYSTERY: THE YING AND RISING OF CHRIST.
THE PROGENY OF THE SPECIES HOMO SAPIENS WAS ALSO REGARDED AS "SEED."
 THUS THE SEED OF ABRAHAM CONSTITUTED ISAAC AND HIS DESCENDANTS.  THE RELATIONSHIP GOD AND HIS PEOPLE PROVIDED A PERPETUAL ESTABLISHMENT FOR THE SEED OF ISRAEL. THE ONE STORY THAT WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE SEED, IS FOUND IN MT. 17:20; WHERE JESUS TALKS ABOUT A "MUSTARD SEED," THE SMALLEST OF ALL SEEDS. WHEN THEY CAME TO A CROWD, A MAN CAME TO HIM, KNELT BEFORE HIM, AND SAID, " LORD HAVE MERCY ON MY SON, FOR HE IS EPILEPTIC AND HE SUFFERS TERRIBLY, HE OFTEN FALLS INTO THE FIRE AND OFTEN INTO THE WATER, AND I BROUGHT HIM TO YOUR DISCIPLES, BUT THEY COULD NOT CURE HIM. JESUS ANSWERED, YOU FAITHLESS AND PERVERSE GENERATION, HOW MUCH LONGER MUST I PUT UP WITH YOU?  BRING HIM HERE TO ME. AND JESUS REBUKED THE DEMON, AND IT CAME OUT OF HIM. THEN THE DISCIPLES CAME TO JESUS PRIVATELY AND SAID, " WHY COULD WE NOT CAST IT OUT?  HE SAID TO THEM, " BECAUSE OF YOUR LITTLE FAITH."  FOR TRULY I TELL YOU, IF YOU HAVE FAITH THE SIZE OF A MUSTARD SEED, YOU WILL SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN, MOVE FROM HERE TO THERE', AND IT WILL MOVE; AND NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR US.
 JESUS AGAIN EXPLAINS THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK CHAPTER 4. JESUS ALSO SAYS, " THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AS IF SOMEONE WOULD SCATTER SEED ON THE GROUND, AND WOULD SLEEP AND RISE NIGHT AND AND DAY, AND  THE SEED WOULD SPROUT AND GROW, HE DOES NOT KNOW HOW. THE EARTH PRODUCES ITSELF, FIRST THE STALK, THEN THE HEAD, THEN FULL GRAIN IN THE HEAD. BUT WHEN THE GRAIN IS RIPE, AT ONCE HE GOES IN WITH THE SICKLE, BECAUSE THE HARVEST HAS COME. JESUS ALSO SAYS: WITH WHAT CAN WE COMPARE THE KINGDOM, OR WHAT PARABLE WILL WE USE FOR IT?  IT IS LIKE A MUSTARD SEED, WHICH WHEN SOWN UPON THE GROUND, IS THE SMALLEST OF ALL SEEDS ON EARTH; YET WHEN IT IS SOWN IT GROWS UP AND BECOMES THE GREATEST OF ALL SHRUBS, AND PUT FORTH LARGE BRANCHES, SO THAT THE BIRDS OF THE AIR CAN MAKE NESTS IN ITS SHADE JESUS USED PARABLES AS A TEACHING TOOL FOR THE DISCIPLES. IN OUR DAY AND AGE; PARABLES HAVE TURNED INTO RIDDLES.
EXAMPLES: FOR MANY PEOPLE GOD IS A RIDDLE. THEY WOULD POSE QUESTIONS LIKE THIS: IF THERE IS A GOD, WHY DO THE INNOCENT SUFFER?" WHY IS THERE SO MUCH PAIN AND SORROW IN THE WORLD?" OR THEY ASK " WHY DOES GOD DEMAND SO MUCH OF US, WHEN HE DIDN'T CREATE US PERFECT IN THE FIRST PLACE?"
WE OUGHT TO TAKE THESE QUESTIONS SERIOUSLY, BECAUSE THEY REMIND US THAT THE EXISTENCE OF EVIL AND IMPERFECTIONS BECOMES AN ACUTE PROBLEM WHEN WE DARE TO TALK ABOUT A LOVING GOD. EVEN THE CHURCH CALENDER POSES THIS RIDDLE WHEN IT PLACES OBSERVANCE OF ST. STEPHEN DAY AND HOLY INNOCENTS DAY RIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS DAY. IT'S AS THOUGH WE BARELY HAVE TIME TO HEAR THE ANGELS SING ABOUT " PEACE ON EARTH" BEFORE WE ARE REMINDED THAT PEOPLE LIKE STEPHEN WERE STONED FOR THEIR CHRISTIAN FAITH, AND THAT A KING SO FEARED THE COMING OF CHRIST THAT HE TRIED TO KILL ALL CHILDREN UNDER TWO YEARS OF AGE. FOR A CHRISTIAN NOW, AND THE DISCIPLE OF JESUS TIME THEN, THE RIDDLE WOULD BE: " WHAT KIND OF A GOD WOULD  LET HIMSELF AND HIS FOLLOWERS BE PUSHED AROUND BY A HARD CRUEL WORLD.
WE ARE NOT THE FIRST TO PUZZLE OVER THESE QUESTIONS. THE GOSPEL OF JOHN REMINDS US OF CONFUSION AND MISUNDERSTANDING AND HAVE CLOUDED THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD FROM THE BEGINNING. " HE WAS IN THE WORLD AND THE WORLD KNEW HIM NOT, " SAYS JOHN'S GOSPEL." " HE CAME TO HIS OWN HOME AND HIS OWN PEOPLE RECEIVED HIM NOT, " SAYS JOHN GOSPEL. THE BOOK OF JOHN REPEATEDLY CALLS ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT PEOPLE MISUNDERSTOOD JESUS-FROM NICODEMUS ASKING " HOW CAN A MAN BE BORN AGAIN WHEN HE IS OLD?"  TO PILATE IMPATIENTLY SNAPPING, " WHAT IS TRUTH?" AND YET THE ANSWER TO THE RIDDLE WAS THERE. THAT'S THE WAY IT IS WITH GOOD RIDDLES. WHEN YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION, YOU ALREADY HAVE THE ANSWER. DO YOU REMEMBER THAT OLD FAVORITE  ABOUT " WHAT IS BLACK AND WHITE AND READ ALL OVER?" THE SECRET TO THE RIDDLE WAS THE SOUND OF THE WORD "READ." ONCE YOU UNDERSTOOD THAT IT DID NOT REFER TO A COLOR, THE ANSWER TO THE RIDDLE MADE SENSE. OR TAKE THE ONE THAT WENT: " RAILROAD CROSSING, LOOK OUT FOR THE CARS CAN YOU SPELL "IT" WITHOUT ANY R'S? "
WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT THE TASK IS TO SPELL "IT' RATHER THAN RAILROAD CROSSING." THE ANSWER BECOMES SELF EVIDENT. LIKE THE PARABLES JESUS USED TO TEACH HIS DISCIPLES, SO ARE THE RIDDLES OF GOD IS A LOT LIKE THAT. ONCE WE GRASP THE KEY-WORD, QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS POWER AND HIS WILL CAN BE ANSWERED. SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT "JESUS' IS THE KEY "WORD." IN JOHN'S GOSPEL HE SPEAKS OF JESUS AS THE WORD BECOMING FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US." JESUS CHRIST HAS SOLVED THE RIDDLE OF GOD. WHEN WE TRY TO SOLVE THE RIDDLE OF GOD FROM ANY OTHER STARTING POINT, WE RUN INTO A DEAD END.
 THAT'S WHAT JESUS MEANT WHEN HE SAID, " NO MAN COMES TO THE FATHER BUT BY ME" HOW DOES JESUS SOLVE THE RIDDLE? HE SHOWS US HOW GOD'S POWER DIFFERS FROM OUR USUAL CONCEPT OF POWER. FOR US POWER MEANS THE STRENGTH TO HAVE IT OUR WAY, NO MATTER WHO OPPOSES US, IT IS THE ABILITY
TO BLOT OUT EVIL, PROTECT HIS FOLLOWERS, AND ELIMINATE SUFFERING. BUT JESUS CHRIST SHOWS US THAT GOD EXPRESSES HIS POWER IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
INSTEAD OF DESTROYING, HE SHOWS SUFFERING CAN NOT DESTROY US. CHRIST MET HUMAN ANGER, BETRAYAL, EVEN DEATH, BY ACCEPTING THE WORST WE COULD DISH OUT. JESUS SPENT MOST OF HIS MINISTRY URGING PEOPLE TO SEE THAT SUFFERING DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED. GOD MARKS THE FALL OF A SPARROW AND THE PLIGHT OF THE LEPER. GOD'S WAY OF DEALING WITH OUR SUFFERING IS TO ACCEPT IT, TO SHARE, AND THEN USE IT.