From the Gospel according to Matthew
13:31-35

Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.”

He spoke to them another parable.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened.”

All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables,
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:

I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world.

Feel as small as possible.

The Lord teaches Truth to His people through parables, because in that way they understand Him better. In this Gospel, we have two parables. In the first, the Lord shows us what He can do with our almost nothing—when we feel small, insignificant like a mustard seed—if we allow ourselves to be watered and nourished by Him. Through the sacraments, prayer, and mutual self-giving in our marriage, the Lord can turn it into a strong tree, where everything in our life is lived with Him, through Him, and in Him, because His sap runs through our trunk. And in this way, our branches and fruits will reflect the image of the Lord. Even other couples and families will come close to us, because the Lord will use us to welcome them, just as birds nest in the branches. The Lord makes things greater the smaller and more humble the seed is.

In the second parable—the one about the yeast—it is because yeast is discreet, it is not seen, but it transforms. Like small acts of love, service, forgiveness, and self-denial that begin to leaven our home. They transform it and turn it into the presence of Christ.

Brought down to married life:

Mariqui: Gonzalo, don’t eat your father’s dinner. I made it for him because he’ll come home hungry.

Nacho: Mariqui, I’m home. I’m really tired and not in the mood to eat. I’m going to the bedroom.

Mariqui: I was really looking forward to having dinner with you. It’s unbelievable… The more I try to please him, the more rejection I get from him…

(I won’t let myself be guided by my own feelings, because I’m sure he’s had a tough day at work. I’ll go to Nacho even though it’s hard for me.)

Nacho, I know you’ve had a rough day and you’re tired. I’m here with you in case you want to talk. I love you.

Nacho: You’re so beautiful. You don’t know how bad I was feeling, but your kind words have broken through. Thank you for coming to me. I’d love to have dinner with you—and pray the rosary with our kids too.

Gonzalo: Mom and Dad, there’s such peace in our home ever since we started praying as a family.

Mariqui: Blessed be God for the fruits the Lord gives us through the self-giving in our marriage.

Mother,

Thank you for teaching us that we must feel small and humble to give ourselves to our spouse out of love.

Praised be the Lord!