The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed.

"The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the 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." -Matthew 13:31

In 1881, a plot of land was purchased in Barcelona, Spain to build an expiatory church dedicated to the Holy Family. The first stone was laid in 1882 on the Feast Day of St. Joseph. Designed by Antoni Guadi, it was among his greatest desires to see La Sagrada Familia, The Church of the Holy Family, completed. Gaudi dedicated his life to the construction of the church. In the last few months of his life, he lived in a small room beside the apse. As the work advanced slowly, Gaudi said, "There is no reason to regret that I cannot finish the Church. I will grow old but others will come after me. What must always be conserved is the spirit of the work, but its life has to depend on generations it is handed down to and with whom it lives and is incarnated." Gaudi died in 1926.

You see, The Church of the Holy Family is being built entirely from donations. When it is completed, hopefully in 2030, it will have 18 towers; 12 dedicated to the apostles, 4 to the evangelists, one to Jesus and another to Mary. The eight spires of the Cathedral of La Sagrada Familia loom highest above all other structures in Barcelona. This cathedral, built solely from donations, one coin, one Euro at a time, will be more than 150 years old when it is completed.

When I think about La Sagrada Familia, I cannot help but think about what each of us can do with just a thought, an idea, a perceived need and what we as individuals can do to address that need.  I know I cannot feed all the hungry, but I can help to feed one person here and another person there. Just think of the good work we do as followers of Christ when we provide food at Church Under the Bridge and Room in the Inn. I know I cannot house all the homeless, but I can help to fund and help to build a home as we will do over the next few months through our work on the Habitat House. Isn't that what Jesus calls us to do, to have faith in Him and in our good works so that together we can do great things in the name of God?

We may pass on to life eternal before all our good works are done, but the friuts of those good works will continue. It is up to us to teach our children well so that they too will know to plant their mustard seeds so that through their faith in God, they may create and provide great things to those less fortunate than themselves to the Glory of God.