Mustard Seed

The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. How small its beginnings: David  the youngest of Jesse's sons becomes king. But his own sins nearly ruined  this kingdom; then he almost was destroyed by his enemies. When his son Solomon became king the kingdom flourished, but then over the years it languished and nearly died several times. The patience of God ran out and  there was the great deportation into Babylon. But by the grace of God  they returned; and in the fulness of time Christ was born, in poverty. He barely escaped Herod. When he returned from Egypt he went to dwell in despised Nazareth. When he was anointed and began his ministry, he was soon choked by the thorns of fierce enemies, and hell's minions arrested him, beat him, whipped him, crucified him, and buried him. Yet then he sprang forth out of the grave. And his church was born at Pentecost. This is the kingdom of heaven, and you have been grafted into it by Baptism. You are the birds nesting in its branches. It is unstoppable, imperishable, eternal. You are safe. Sermon for Midweek of Sexagesim. The video is here.