The story is told about a husband who planted an atis tree for his talkative wife because he heard that no one can talk while eating atis because of its many seeds. After patiently waiting for a year, he excitedly harvested the first atis, but to his dismay, it had no seeds. He planted the seedless atis variety!
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In today’s gospel (Mk. 4, 26-34), Jesus compares the kingdom of God to seeds scattered on the land that sprout and grow of their own accord. He also compared it to a mustard seed, the smallest of all the seeds that grows to become the largest of plants. The kingdom of God has power of its own and bears fruits wherever it is sown.
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On the other hand, there is also the kingdom of the evil one that has scattered the virus of COVID-19 which is invisible, and has the power to kill wherever it is sown. We have a choice: to belong to the kingdom of God with our good deeds, or to belong to the kingdom of the evil one with our bad deeds.
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Someone rightly pointed out that as COVID-19 is highly contagious, so is kindness, generosity, joy, optimism, and positivity. Let’s all be carriers of the values of the kingdom of God, especially this time of our lives.
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“You can’t wait until life is not hard anymore before you decide you can be happy.” Inspiring words from 30-year-old Jane Marczewski (Nightbirde) who has a 2-percent chance to live because of cancer. She got the golden buzzer from Simon Cowell on “America’s Got Talent” with her original song “It’s OK.” She got the admiration, respect, and gratitude of so many lonely, hurting, sick, and despondent people all over the world with her message of hope and joy amid tribulations.
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As a little boy, I was fascinated with the story of Johnny Appleseed who walked all over America scattering apple seeds wherever he went, filling the whole place with apple trees that bore fruits for people who did not even know him. Yes, we just sow the seeds, and we don’t have to be around when the harvesting comes.
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In this life, we may not get to enjoy the fruits of our labor, but we consider it joy enough that we were given the opportunity to labor so that others can enjoy the fruits.
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There are two trees in front of the Mission House that might have a message for us: The first one is a tall bignay tree that is nice looking and gives a good shade, but has not borne fruits all these years; the other one is a lowly guava tree that is generous with fruits the whole year through to the delight of anyone who passes by, even birds from the sky. Which tree are you?
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“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last” (Jn. 15, 16). Yes, we are called to bear fruits, to be productive, but not only with the works of our hands, but also with the love of our hearts.
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I am writing this column today, the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and our Independence Day. I ended up singing with all my heart: “Ave, Ave, Ave Maria… We pray for our country, the land of our birth; we pray for all nations that peace be on earth.”
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June is the month of the three holiest hearts: the Sacred Heart of Jesus; the Immaculate Heart of Mary; the Most Chaste Heart of St. Joseph. Though we may not even come close to their holiness, let us continue to strive to make our hearts be like theirs. As long as we keep trying, God is pleased, and will supply whatever is lacking.
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Think about this: “Beauty is not lost as we get older. It just moves from the face to the heart.”
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A moment with the Lord Lord, help us to sow good seeds and loving deeds. Amen.
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