Homily Outline Combining Resources

• Scientific explanation
  • Mustard is a resilient crop that can withstand various climates and soil conditions. Black mustard can survive in both sandy and clay soil types. Indian mustard, on the other hand, can adapt to a wide range of climates. Moreover, mustard’s deep root system helps mitigate soil-borne pathogens
  • Mustard seeds contain glucosinolates and omega-3 fatty acids. Glucosinolates have antimicrobial, analgesic, and anticancer properties. Omega-3 fatty acids are associated with improvements in sleep disorders, anxiety, cerebrovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes.
  • Mustard seed meal (a byproduct of mustard seed oil extraction) is a potent agent against mosquitoes. Glucosinolates in mustard seeds are converted into isothiocyanates, which can kill mosquitoes.
• Growth and Transformation
  • The growth, versatility, and resilience of the mustard plant is a metaphor for faith.
  • In the Gospel, the apostles pleaded with Jesus, “Increase our faith!” He responds with a striking image:
    “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”
  • Jesus’ message describes the mustard seed—our faith—as a paradox. The mustard seed is minuscule—nearly invisible—but capable of transformation and abundance.
  • Like any seed, it must be watered, exposed to light, and planted in rich soil. It does not grow instantly. Similarly, our faith grows immensely with time, care, and trust in the One who planted it.

Denise Levertov’s poem “On the Parables of the Mustard Seed” penetrates the mystery of faith like a mustard seed:

Who ever saw the mustard-plant,
wayside weed or tended crop,
grow tall as a shrub, let alone a tree, a treeful
of shade and nests and songs?
Acres of yellow,
not a bird of the air in sight.

No, He who knew
the west wind brings
the rain, the south wind
thunder, who walked the field-paths
running His hand along wheatstems to glean
those intimate milky kernels, good
to break on the tongue,

was talking of miracle, the seed
within us, so small
we take it for worthless, a mustard-seed, dust,
nothing.

Glib generations mistake
the metaphor, not looking at fields and trees,
not noticing paradox. Mountains
remain unmoved.

Faith is rare, He must have been saying,
prodigious, unique —
one infinitesimal grain divided
like loaves and fishes,

as if from a mustard-seed
a great shade-tree grew. That rare,
that strange: the kingdom

a tree. The soul
a bird. A great concourse of birds
at home there, wings among yellow flowers.
The waiting

kingdom of faith, the seed
waiting to be sown

• The mustard seed is an affirmation of the work of God within us. God works within us—patiently, gently, and powerfully—like a farmer who awaits us to bear fruit.
• It also represents us as individuals constantly growing and changing through God’s grace. We also have to be patient with ourselves despite our shortcomings.