OCTOBER 27, 2026 FATHER ERNIE DE CICCIO
Jesus talks a lot about the coming of the kingdom of God. And in today’s Gospel, we get a couple of descriptions that he gives of what the kingdom of God is like. And the images that he uses really point to the fact that the kingdom of God is not something instantaneous, immediate, but something that slowly grows.
Of course, Jesus initiated things by his coming among us and sharing our life, and suffering and dying and rising again. But we have not yet attained the fullness of that kingdom. Do we believe that the kingdom is growing as we journey through our life?
Things are not perfect yet, are they? They will be, once we get there, to our eternal home. But for now, we’re waiting for that kingdom of God to slowly grow.
Jesus talks about the mustard seed that becomes like a tree. Does that happen overnight? No, it does not. It takes a long time for that seed to take root and blossom. And again, even the yeast that’s mixed in with the measures of flour, it takes time. Maybe a little faster than a mustard tree, but still takes hours and hours overnight.
I’m a big fan of science fiction novels and movies. And I dream of the day when we can realize what we’ve seen in some of the shows, where you’re in your room and you press the button, and out comes out the beautiful meal, fully made, in a second! You don’t have to wait to order it. You don’t have to wait for it to be prepared. Quick and easy. Quick and easy.
That is not how it happens with the kingdom of God. We have to wait. And don’t we all just love waiting? I should write a book called The Joy of Waiting. It might sell maybe three copies if I’m lucky. Nobody wants to wait.
You ever end up at the supermarket and you’re waiting in line, and it could take a while if some customer ahead of you has 200 items they got to pay for. The same at the bank. I keep telling them, “You should have a time limit for the customers.” Five-minute time limit, because some of these high-maintenance people will show up and want to spend half an hour talking to the teller.
Quick and easy. We want everything so fast. Wasn’t it wonderful when they invented fast food? You could go to the restaurant, and bang! It was served up in a matter of minutes. Now, it’s not even as fast as it used to be.
We all lack patience. We don’t have it for the bank, for the supermarket. We don’t have it for God.
God has been working since the beginning of creation. And even though, again, he rested on the seventh day, God never closes his eyes, ’cause God is still at work building that kingdom that Jesus Christ, his only Son, was able to initiate.
We can’t wait to see it in fullness, when everything will be made right at last, when there won’t be any more wars or violence or hatred or division or sickness or poverty. We can’t wait to see things finished. Ripe. Fully grown.
We need to ask God to give us patience, waiting on our God, who’s not asleep, who’s working at building that kingdom. But we can’t expect God to do it all, either. While we’re waiting, we have a duty and responsibility to work alongside the Lord.
What are we doing to build up the kingdom of God? Well, it’s called, plain and simply, works of charity. Those works of kindness and love that we can do every single day, towards family, friends, co-workers, strangers, even.
That’s our part in building up the kingdom of God, and every time we do those kind actions or even offer a kind word, the kingdom grows. It does.
Maybe there’s bumps along the way, ’cause things keep happening. And yes, the faith is always under attack. But we never give up. We continue to do our good work without getting tired of doing it, working alongside our God.
God, who has to be patient with us. How patient is God? God, who never gives up on us.
So, then, let’s learn to be patient. Let’s learn to wait and not expect things immediately, like in the science fiction novels. Let’s simply trust that things are going in the right direction.
No matter what negativity we have to face, things are going in the right direction. The kingdom of God is growing like that mustard seed, and one day, we will see it fully grown, and we’ll be like those birds that can make nests in its branches.
So, don’t give up. Don’t lose patience. Keep on waiting. And trust. Trust that what the Lord has begun will come to its fulfilment.
