Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

June 11, 2021

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

June 13, 2021

Deacon Anthony J. Cincotta

Saint Mary Magdalen parish, Media, PA

 

Book of the Prophet Ezekiel 17:22-24

Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16

2 Corinthians 5:6-10

Mark 4:26-34

 

            Can God really help us?  Can we really have hope in the midst of great struggles?  Has God read today’s news headlines?

            These are the questions being asked and addressed in today’s readings.  They addressed by Ezekiel’s community, by the community of Corinth, and by the community under persecution, who first heard Saint Mark’s gospel narrative, and by all of us.

            At the time of the Babylonian captivity, it seemed that that the people had no hope as they wondered if God’s promises could be fulfilled.  Please re-read the first paragraph.  The power of their captors seems overwhelming.  Ezekiel explains that God really is powerful.  God can, and will, take a shoot and plant it as their future.  What appears to be powerful will be brought down and what is lowly will be raised up.

            In Corinth, in the early Church, they must have been losing courage.  They had come to believe that their true home is in heaven, with their Risen Lord, who won victory over sin and death.  Paul reminds them that, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” 

            In Mark’s Gospel narrative, Jesus prepares His disciples, and all of us, for the journey ahead.  God’s reign, He explains, is not the way we think of earthly reign and power.  It is like the farmer who sows seed, but doesn’t really know how they grow, even with the right combination of sun, rain and good soil.  It just grows.  Also, it is like a mustard seed which is not very impressive or powerful looking.  The results, however, are incredible to behold.

            Sisters and brothers, often it can seem that God, at least sometimes how Jesus speaks to us, expects our faith and trusting to be easy.  Let’s dig a bit deeper.  Jesus asks Peter to leave everything and to follow Him and later invites him to get out of a boat and walk on water.  God asks Mary to believe she is pregnant and that she will give birth to the Son of Man; she says Yes, and the world will never be the same.  God is always asking that we not be afraid, and that just might be because God knows we will be and are sometimes frightened.  We don’t like the dark, the unfamiliar, and the complexities that confuse us and yet that is how we find following Jesus; just like the disciples in Marks Gospel.

Question of the Day:  How will you renew your faith and trust in God as you move toward the heavenly kingdom? 

Prayer:  “The seed is the Word of God, Christ is the sower.  All who come to Him will live forever.”  Amen. 

Prosit