Small Seed Big Harvest

I saw a quote here:
The Magi set out because of a deep desire which prompted them to leave everything and begin a journey. It was as though they had always been waiting for that star.

Pope Benedict XVI

This quote caused something in me to think of the Magi's story as an metaphor for vocations. They left everything for a calling to follow the star and meet the new King. When Pope Benedict XVI said "It was as though they had always been waiting for that star.", the lightbulb went off and I realized that God calls all of us to do something like the Magi's journey to glorify Him and lead others to Him. How many people over the two millenia since have been inspired by the story or meditated upon it and developed a deeper relationship with Christ.
That got me to thinking about all the minor characters in the Bible and all the Saints who led quiet, unassuming lives, but have been an inspiration to many people and their example and/or writings have led many others into a deeper relationship with Christ. The Magi were minor if you consider how much they are mentioned in the Bible, but they are quite popular so I will use someone else as a better example.
In the Gospels for instance, is the story of Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52), the blind man who called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" so that he might be healed of his blindness. Among the Saints is St Therese de Lisieux who led a quiet life in the cloister, but her writings have led millions around the world into a deeper life in Christ and she is now a Doctor of the Church.
Obviously, the list goes on and I'm sure that you could also name many, many more. This is going to be the beginning of a weekly segment on my blog (at least for as long as I can remember to keep doing it; I can be forgetful). I'm calling it Small Seed Saturday. I got the name from the Gospel of St John 12:24: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit." There are many Saints and others who have been small seeds planted in the ground who have produced much fruit.
Next week, I'll expound more on Bartimaeus.

May God bless all who read my ramblings,