Lk 13,18-21

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love.

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty. (The Spiritual Exercises No.46)

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation: See the mustard seed from which a huge tree grows.

Ask for the fruit of meditation: Let me see mustard seeds in my life

1.Mustard seed.

Mustard seed is some kind of beginning, an igniter to start the process of change. Each of us has in our experience moments that have become the beginning of something new. Remember them. What is your mustard seed? See that the mustard seed is very small, it’s easy to lose it, overlook it. You need to be mindful to notice them, let its stay in the place, where it fell and let him grow. What is your awareness of what happens inside and outside of your life?

2.Mustard seed he took, sowed and grew.

Man took mustard seed, sowed it and it grew. The text does not show that this man had to work hard, that the seed germinated and eventually a tree grew. Maybe in our lives it is enough just to let develop various processes, not disturb them, not create resistance and not to cause fears that they could change us and stop the changes. If you entere the current of the river and you will let it carry you. Each change process needs its own time and space. Relate it to your processes and changes. See how you give them space and time?

3. The Kingdom of God is like a yeast.

The woman took the yeast and put it in the flour. This was used to make a leaven and, as a result, bread. You could say that the woman did everything that could be done within her abilities. There is a point from which she has no longer influence on the quality of this leaven. We also do not have nor complete control over everything or the influence everything. There is sometimes a borderline moment when we can only trust in God. It is important that we are to act up to this border point, we are decision-making and take responsibility for our lives and deeds. It is up to you how you live, how you go on the road to full life in God. It is puzzling that, on the one hand, it is often difficult for us to accept our lack of control, and on the other hand, it is difficult to make decisions and take responsibility for them. See what it looks like with you. God is curious about you, let yourself surprise God by something.

4.Ignatius Loyola, Pilgrim’s Journey, see pp. 37-53

Although this may seem unbelievable, the beginning of the change in Ignatius began with a serious wound with a cannonball. As a result of this event, Ignatius had to undergo a long recovery process. He couldn’t walk because his legs had suffered the most. So, during the healing process he began to read the lives of the saints. He was reading for only one reason: it was the only book available in the place where he was then. This reading led him to many thoughts and became the beginning of conversion, from a man who liked to play and the world life he began to become more and more for God. Could he have done otherwise? He could. He accepted the situation as it was, though it was difficult for him and used what he had. He surrendered to the process that had occurred and the changes began to happen. Ignatius was looking for good, fullness, not lack, evil. You can only find what you are looking for, which your attention is directed to.

Take this to your life, what does it look like in your life?

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar, such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)