""The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed" (Mark 4:31) Today we celebrate Father's Day or the day of all those who have been father figures in our lives. What a wonderful experience to have a father. A father is like a majestic cedar described in the first reading, providing comfort and protection for all those in its care. Whatever our own circumstances, we can always look to God, our Almighty Father, as the ideal of a fostering, loving, forgiving parent. The liturgy wants to introduce us, as we approach the first day of summer, to the context of nature. The prophet Ezekiel has a vision of God cutting a tender shoot from the top of a cedar and planting it on a lofty mountain where it grows into a majestic tree. Saint Mark, on the other hand, relates two of Jesus parables involving sowing seeds, one being the tiny mustard seed, which grows into a shady, hearty plant "that shoots branches so large that the birds of the sky nest in its shade." Let us ask our Heavenly Father the grace to listen to the readings as we allow his Word to take root in our lives. Ezekiel prophesied during the time of Israel's exile. Many Israelites had lost the faith that God would care for them. The prophet assures them that "God will lift high the lowly tree... make the withered tree bloom." The passage carries with it the idea of always trusting in the Lord. Saint Paul tells us that we “walk by faith, not by sight” trusting in the Lord´s vision. In the same way Jesus tells us about the seeds that produce fruit in their time and become large trees that even shelter the birds of the sky. The common theme of the three readings is trusting in God. The two parables of Jesus today speak about seeds planted in the earth. We could think of those seeds taking root internally, in ourselves. Think of the many things that our parents told us when we were growing up. Think of the insights of our past mentors or maybe something we heard just last week at Mass. We hope that everything we hear, has a chance to blossom, to flower. Let's think finally how our lives can be seeds that make the lives of others flourish. Think of the so many things that we can do for the poor and impoverished of our time when we dedicate our attention, help and affection to them. We dream that we can flourish in those who are neglected in our society when we do something so that their lives can flourish. Bishop Oscar Romero said “We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.” Let us ask the grace of our Heavenly Father that we would be a seed that blooms and helps others to flourish. Happy Father's Day! Fr. Hernán, SJ