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June 12, 2021As we continue to focus this week on the pure love of God the Father, the saving and self-giving love of the Son and the wisdom and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we do so through the lessons we read during Ordinary Time. As uplifting and joyful as celebrations such as Easter and Christmas are, they can be extremely hectic and actually distract us from our call to love others in the ordinariness of our lives. In some respects, this Ordinary Time in the Church year gives us the opportunity to enjoy a period of peace and contemplation. It is in these times that Scripture calls us to take the profound lessons of Christ’s sacrificial love and apply them to our lives. We can now ask the question, “What does God want from me in grateful response for all the gifts I have received during the celebration of Easter?”
In next Sunday’s Gospel, the evangelist Mark begins to provide the answer. God wants us to enter with Him into His Kingdom here on earth where we can live in abundant joy and bear great fruit. Using the parable of the mustard seed, Jesus reminds us that God doesn’t really require all that much from us. We only need to make a place for Him in our hearts where the ‘mustard seed of faith’ might take root. His loving graces will enable us to grow and flourish in such a way that God’s will transforms us and overflows into the lives of those in our family, our parish and our world. We have been given all we need… the know-how of the Scriptures and the nourishment of the Sacraments. However, we cannot be totally passive in response to such great blessings. We need to take these gifts, nurture them and share them generously. When we commit to a growth in our faith the power of Christ’s love will be multiplied. God the Father created the seed of faith and Jesus and the Holy Spirit provide the inspiration and the grace to help us keep it growing. Desire alone will not keep faith alive. When we seek out the graces we need through prayer and the active practice of our Catholic faith, we will receive the sustenance we need to stay strong and allow God to flourish within us.
For further reflection on the Kingdom of God, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 541, 542 and 546.- What keeps me from being more open to God’s loving gift of faith? How can I better prepare my soul to be a healthy place for God to do His work in me?
- Through Baptism we receive our invitation to a life of joy and peace in the Kingdom. How actively am I seeking to grow through the graces available to me in the active practice of my Catholic faith? What spiritual practices might I engage in to grow stronger in my faith?
- How can I share the love and joy of living a life in the Kingdom of God with my family, friends and fellow parishioners?
