June 14, 2015

11^th Sunday in Ordinary Time B

Ezekiel 17: 22-24; 2 Corinthians 5: 6-10; Mark 4: 26-34

When I look at myself and my life, I tend to remember what happened in the past and of course what I project to happen in the future; what are my hopes and dreams, yet I only live in the present one day at a time. The readings are reminding me of this and at the same time have an important message…God is in control and it’s all about God’s plan…and me living that plan.

Ezekiel fits into this mold: he is member of the priestly family and had been a priest in the temple in Jerusalem for close to thirty years. I imagine that his dream was how he could continue to serve God and His people. Then came the conquest by Babylon and Ezekiel was one of the most important exiles deported by Nebuchadnezzar in 597 BC. His ‘job’ now changed: he now is called by God to be His prophet and his first task was to prepare the exiles for the inevitable destruction of Jerusalem (chapters 1-24) which the people thought would never happen. How could God ever allow this? The first part of his writings concerned themselves with criticisms for Israel’s past and present sins which amounted to not believing in God’s ways and not trusting in God’s plans. The people felt they knew what God wanted and what He would do to fulfill His plan. Ezekiel told them that it is only by placing trust in the Lord God will people gain true peace. His bottom line message: human efforts have their limitations, reliance on God will bring about dramatic changes. In today’s reading God will take a ‘tender shoot’ and replant it on a mountain of Israel, symbolizing a rebuilding of the Davidic dynasty. The ‘messianic king’ will do this and God’s plan all along was for Jesus to come and tell us of God’s love and how each person is loved and needed to be His love. I remind myself…it’s all about God’s plan…not mine…as the Psalm Response states today, “Lord, it is good to give thanks to You.”

Would I like to be with the Lord now…yes! Would I like the pains and craziness of this world to be ‘past history’ and I can be with the Lord where there are ‘no more tears, no more sorrows’…definitely! Am I ready to go to the Lord…well maybe I could wait a little…? God’s plan is for me and each person to be with Him. Paul is ‘dreaming’ of this today and says that while living here each person receives grace…help from the Spirit and is thereby ‘courageous.’ Paul is telling that each will be judged by God but that is something not to fear but to rejoice in. Faith and trust in God is what guides each person each day to the choices that are made. Will I be selfish and choose me…many times, yes…does God give up on me…no…does He continue to help me and with each choice toward Him I grow stronger and more filled with His love and comfortable in living His way…definitely.

Jesus is teaching this in Mark’s gospel today: I do not see the ‘reign of God’ growing. Jesus uses the example of a seed growing: I can’t see it grow in the ground…but it is growing. I won’t see it until a ‘green’ shoot peeks through the dirt. I am responsible for ‘my growth’ in the Lord. I am responsible for nurturing my growth. Am I alone in this nurturing…no. Am I to think that ‘I can know the way all by myself’…no. The wiles of the devil always want me to think that it is about me and I can do whatever I want, God is not to be a factor. How does God know what will make me happy…if I want it, it’s OK.

Mark, A Devotional Commentary gives meditations on today’s Gospel. In an appealing and reflective way it has helped me probe the depths of today’s readings. I quote:

“It is possible to understand a bit more about faith in God by considering how farmers live. To ensure a good harvest, they need to plant good seed at the right time, keep their fields free of competing weeds and harmful insects, and gather their crops properly when they ripen. As much as they try to control these factors, farmers are ultimately dependent upon for more fundamental things – the land, good soil, rain, sufficient light, and warmth.

Farmers know they must work hard, but they also know that growth is something that takes place almost independently of their efforts. Until the advent of powerful chemical fertilizers and irrigation to enhance growth, all farmers could basically do was cooperate with life and growth. The fact that it happened was a mystery in which they trusted, but which they could barely speed up or force.

The farm-oriented parables in Mark teach us to recognize these things as we consider growth in our spiritual lives. Growth depends on God; it is usually gradual and is sometimes imperceptible to us. Because God Himself is concerned about us, however, we should expect that He will lead us in paths that promote genuine and abundant fruit. Our expectancy should be based on our knowledge that growth is something God Himself desired and attends to.

Once the seed is sown, God cares for the growth. Through the work of the Spirit, growth comes from within us. Like the farmer, we can nurture this growth by removing the thorns and thistles in our lives. We can make the decisions to avoid the things that hamper God’s work in us – certain books and television programs, angers and festering resentments, concern only for ourselves and our interests, indifference to the poor and suffering. We can nourish the seed of our faith through reading God’s word, prayer, and the Eucharist. Gradually, with sufficient time, we will see this seed spring to life – perhaps without really knowing when it happened.

If we allow God to work in us, we will grow -- even though we may not be aware of it at the time. The seeds in these parables are meant to show that great things come from small beginnings. This is God’s promise from all time”

(From today’s first reading Ezekiel 17:23)

“…on the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it. It shall put forth branches and bear fruit, and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind shall dwell beneath it, every winged thing in the shade of its boughs.”

So I reflect on:

• What is Jesus telling me when He says the reign of God is like a mustard shrub, an ordinary and ugly shrub that grows to about seven feet and multiplies readily?
• How do I put myself on a straight path with the Lord?
• I reflect each day on: What is the ‘right thing’ I am being called upon to do today? Do I realize God’s grace is there helping me totally?
• How do I get out of the way of the operation of grace? How do I sometimes stand in the way of the operation of grace?
• During most days I meet individuals who radiate an inner light. They make me feel respected and valued. They listen with concern and compassion and care for me and others. Do I ever feel that they are sent specifically by God to me that day?

LORD HELP ME TO SEE…TO LISTEN… TO TRUST and TO LOVE!