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From: Romans 8:18-25

Christians are Children of God (Continuation)

[18] I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth
comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

[19] For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the
sons of God; [20] for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its
own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; [21] because
the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain
the glorious liberty of the children of God. [22] We know that the whole
creation has been groaning in travail together until now; [23] and not
only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the
Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of
our bodies. [24] For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is
not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? [25] But if we hope for what we
do not see, we wait for it in patience.

Commentary:

18. "Who is there then", St Cyprian comments, "who will not strive to
attain so great a glory, by making himself God's friend, to rejoice
immediately with Christ, to receive the divine rewards after the pains
and sufferings of this life? If it is glorious for soldiers of this world
to return to their fatherland victorious after defeating the enemy, how
much greater and more pleasing glory will there not be, once the devil is
overcome, to return victorious to heaven [...]; to bear with one the
trophies of victory [...]; to sit at God's side when he comes to judge,
to be a co-heir with Christ, to be made equal to the angels and to enjoy
with the Patriarchs, with the Apostles and with the Prophets the
possession of the Kingdom of heaven [...]. A spirit secure in these
supernatural thoughts stays strong and firm, and is unmoved by the
attacks of demons and the threats of this world, a spirit strengthened by
a solid and confident faith in the future [...]. It leaves here with
dignity and confidence, rejoicing in one moment to close its eyes which
looked on men and the world, and to see God and Christ! [...]. These are
the thoughts the mind should have, this is how it ought to reflect, night
and day. If persecution finds God's soldier prepared in this manner,
there will be no power capable of overcoming a spirit so equipped for the
struggle" ("Epist. ad Fortunatum", 13).

19-21. To make his point more vividly St Paul, in a metaphor, depicts the
whole of creation, the material universe, as a living person, groaning in
pain impatiently waiting for a future event, raising its head, straining
to see something appear on the horizon.

The material world is indeed, through God's design, linked to man and his
destiny. "Sacred Scripture teaches that man was created 'in the image of
God,' as able to know and love his Creator, and as set by him over all
earthly creatures that he might rule them, and make use of them, while
glorifying God" (Vatican II, "Gaudium Et Spes", 12). The futility to
which creation is subject is not so much corruption and death as the
disorder resulting from sin. According to God's plan material things
should be resources which enable man to attain the ultimate goal of his
existence. By using them in a disordered way, disconnecting them from
God, man turns them into instruments of sin, which therefore are subject
to the consequences of sin.

"Are we of the twentieth century not convinced of the overpoweringly
eloquent words of the Apostle of the Gentiles concerning the 'creation
(that) has been groaning in travail together until now' and 'waits with
eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God', the creation that'
was subjected to futility'? Does not the previously unknown immense
progress--which has taken place especially in the course of this
century--in the field of man's dominion over the world itself reveal--to
a previously unknown degree--that manifold subjection 'to futility'?
[...] The world of the previously unattained conquests of science and
technology--is it not also the world 'groaning in travail' that 'waits
with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God'?" (John Paul II,
"Redemptor Hominis", 8).

Reestablishment of the order willed by God, bringing the whole world to
fulfill its true purpose, is the particular mission of the Holy Spirit,
the Giver of Life, the true Lord of history: "'The arm of the Lord has
not been shortened.' God is no less powerful today than he was in other
times; his love for man is no less true. Our faith teaches us that all
creation, the movement of the earth and the other heavenly bodies, the
good actions of creatures and all the good that has been achieved in
history, in short everything, comes from God and is directed toward him.

"The action of the Holy Spirit may pass unnoticed because God does not
reveal to us his plans, and because man's sin obscures the divine gifts.
But faith tells us that God is always acting. He has created us and
maintains us in existence, and he is leading all creation by his grace
towards the glorious freedom of the children of God" ([St] J. Escriva,
"Christ Is Passing By", 130).

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

From: Luke 13:18-21

Parables of the Grain of Mustard Seed and of the Leaven

[18] He (Jesus) said therefore, "What is the Kingdom of God like? And
to what shall I compare it? [19] It is like a grain of mustard seed
which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a
tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches."

[20] And again He said, "To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
[21] It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of
meal, till it was all leavened."

Commentary:

18-21. The grain of mustard and the leaven symbolize the Church, which
starts off as a little group of disciples and steadily spreads with the
aid of the Holy Spirit until it reaches the ends of the earth. As
early as the second century Tertullian claimed: "We are but of
yesterday and yet we are everywhere" ("Apologeticum", 37).

Our Lord "with the parable of the mustard seed encourages them to have
faith and shows them that the Gospel preaching will spread in spite of
everything. The Lord's disciples were the weakest of men, but
nevertheless, because of the great power that was in them, the Gospel
has been spread to every part of the world" (St. John Chrysostom, "Hom.
on St. Matthew", 46). Therefore, a Christian should not be discouraged
if his apostolic action seems very limited and insignificant. With
God's grace and his own faithfulness it will keep growing like the
mustard seed, in spite of difficulties: "In the moments of struggle and
opposition, when perhaps `the good' fill your way with obstacles, lift
up your apostolic heart: listen to Jesus as He speaks of the grain of
mustard seed and of the leaven. And say to Him: `"edissere nobis
parabolam": explain the parable to me.' And you will feel the joy of
contemplating the victory to come: the birds of the air lodging in the
branches of your apostolate, now only in its beginnings, and the whole
of the meal leavened" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 695).