Matthew 13: 31 - 35

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Below is Monday’s Mass Gospel Reading. To me it reflects how the Gospel, 2000 years ago, started out tiny, being taught to 12 men who gave their lives to spread the message. It grew and grew, and look at it now! The Name of Christ is known throughout the whole world! Here is commentary on this passage litteralchristianlibrary.wetpaint.com/page/July+28th

**31 Another parable he put before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field;
32 it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
34 All this Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed he said nothing to them without a parable.
35 This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.” **
 
The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible foot notes state:
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The OT represent great empires as great trees in Ezek 31:1-13 ; Dan 4:11-12 , including the kingdom of Israel Ezek 17:22-24 .
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In these instance, birds represent Gentile nations.
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That is good, St. Hilary of Poiters understood it that way too. The Blessed Theophylact understood the birds as angels, and the Church as the tree.

In the very first commentary done on Mark by an unknown author, he says this concerning this passage that is also found in Mark 4:30-32

Again, he compares this seed to a grain of mustard seed (cf. Mark 4:30). It is the smallest in fear, but it is the greatest in love. It is greater than all the shrubs ( Mark 4:32). Because God is love; and All flesh is grass, and whoever is weak, let him eat vegetables. The shrub has put out branches, branches of mercy and compassion, in whose shade the poor of Christ, who are heavenly animals, are delighted to dwell.
 
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