Concerning Growth
Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest
My dear encountered couples:
The reign of God, the kingdom of God, heaven is within you. Jesus compares it to a small seed that is to grow into a large shrub; he compares it to a bit of yeast which rises into a whole mass of dough.
At baptism, you became a child of God. You are to grow into an adult, into the man or woman of God that would make any father proud, especially God your Father. Growth takes time; it takes patience; it takes work. And when it comes to human growth, not merely physical but character growth, it takes very hard work over a very long period of time.
Unfortunately, there are children for some reason or other who don’t grow to adulthood. Some of them choose not to do so. They commit suicide. And their parents weep and grieve for the rest of their lives. If we choose to live in the state of mortal sin instead of the state of grace we are choosing death to our childhood in God. We are leaving him to weep and grieve over us for all eternity. Do you think he doesn’t do that when we reject his love? Then you have missed the point of the life of Christ.
God loves you with the utmost love of a father and mother. You have the power to make his life within you a heaven or a hell. By your growing or not growing into a wonderful, caring person you affect God forever. Like a seed that grows makes the farmer happy, and the yeast that rises makes the baker pleased, you are to become the person whose soul is heaven for God. Jesus spoke in parables. Let’s try to understand where we fit into them.
