Synodal paths, the new processes"The Eucharist is an effective medicine against human closed-mindedness."Pope Francis prayed the Angelus from the window of the Apostolic Palace and addressed a few words to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square: "Through the two parables that the Gospel presents to us this Sunday," the Holy Father began, "we return to the liturgical season 'Ordinary'. The parables are inspired precisely by ordinary life, and reveal the attentive and profound gaze of Jesus, who observes reality and, through small everyday images, opens windows onto the mystery of God and human history. In this way, he teaches us that even the things of everyday life, those that sometimes seem all the same and that we carry on with distraction or weariness, are inhabited by the hidden presence of God. Therefore, we need attentive eyes to know how to "seek and find God in all things", as St. Ignatius of Loyola liked to say".
The reflection on the Kingdom of God was at the heart of Francis' words: "Today Jesus compares the Kingdom of God, his presence that dwells in the heart of things and of the world, to a mustard seed, the smallest seed there is. Yet, thrown into the earth, it grows into the largest tree (cfr. Mc 4,31-32). This is what God does. At times, the hustle and bustle of the world and the many activities that fill our daily lives prevent us from stopping and glimpsing how the Lord is guiding history. And yet - the Gospel assures us - God is at work, like a small good seed that silently and slowly germinates. And, little by little, it grows into a leafy tree that gives life and sustenance to all. Even the seed of our good works may seem little; but all that is good belongs to God and, therefore, humbly and slowly, it bears fruit. Let us remember that good always grows in a humble, hidden and often invisible way.
"Dear brothers and sisters, with this parable Jesus wants to instill confidence in us. In fact, in many situations in life it can happen that we become discouraged when we see the weakness of good in comparison with the apparent strength of evil. And we can let discouragement paralyze us when we realize that we have made efforts but have not obtained results and it seems that things never change. The Gospel asks us to take a new look at ourselves and at reality; it asks us to have big eyes that know how to see beyond, especially beyond appearances, in order to discover the presence of God who, as humble love, is always at work in the field of our life and in the field of history".
"And this is our confidence," said the Pope, "this is what gives us the strength to go forward every day with patience, sowing the good that will bear fruit. How important this attitude is to come out of the pandemic well! Cultivate the confidence of being in God's hands and, at the same time, let us all strive to rebuild and begin again, with patience and constancy".
Before concluding, he recalled that "even in the Church the weeds of discouragement can take root, especially when we witness the crisis of faith and the failure of various projects and initiatives. But let us never forget that the results of our sowing do not depend on our abilities: they depend on God's action. It is up to us to sow with love, effort and patience. But the strength of the seed is divine. Jesus explains it in today's other parable: the farmer throws the seed and then does not know how it produces fruit, because it is the seed itself that grows spontaneously, during the day, at night, when he least expects it (cf. vv. 26-29). With God there is always hope of new sprouts, even in the most arid lands".
