Cycle B - Year I:

14 June 2015: Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Liturgical color: Green)

Mark 4:26-34


God's Kingdom grows within us!


After a series of solemnities, or special feasts, since the Ascension of our Lord, we are back to celebrating Ordinary Time in the Church's liturgical calendar. This Sunday is the eleventh in Ordinary Time.

Ordinary Time is the yearly cycle of 33 or 34 weeks in which no particular aspect of the mystery of Christ is celebrated, but rather the totality or fullness of the mystery of Christ itself is honored.

The gospel passage is from St. Mark, and Jesus preaches about the kingdom of God in parables.

Jesus used parables that employed elements of common life and daily living of  his time from which his hearers could learn spiritual lessons. In other words, Jesus used parables to help his new followers better understand the kingdom of God. Thus, parables bridged the gap between earthly realities and heavenly ones.

In the gospel reading, what can the parable of a mustard seed teach us about the kingdom of God.  Let us reflect on this parable.

When we plant a tiny mustard seed in good soil, it grows literally to a big tree, through the wonders

of Mother Nature, that bears abundant fruit and serves as a leafy home to birds. But we don't know exactly how Nature works to transform the tiny seed into the big tree.

Now our Lord tells us that God's kingdom works in a similar fashion. It starts from the smallest beginning in our hearts when we are receptive of God's word. It works unseen and causes transformation from within us.

Yet, we must understand that just as the mustard seed has no power to change itself until it is planted in the ground, so, too, we cannot really change our lives to be what God desires of us until God Himself gives us the power of his Holy Spirit. We must allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, because God never forces Himself on anyone. It must be our personal choice to let Him transform us to be God-like. Are we ready to let God change us by his grace and power?

In sum, Jesus is telling us in this Sunday's Gospel that this is how God's kingdom works in our lives and in the world: its beginning is rather small, but given time and our cooperation  it grows into something big that can transform us to become missionaries of joy for God's kingdom here on earth. Because when we follow and yield to our Lord Jesus Christ, our lives are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. Do we believe in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit?

In the Eucharist at Mass, let us pray: "Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit and transform me into the Christ-like holiness that You desire of me. Increase my zeal for your kingdom and instill in me a holy desire to live for your greater glory. Amen."

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!