Even though your faith be as small as a seed, it can grow into a huge tree

Reflection on the readings for Mass Friday 1^st February 2013

I admit this is a parable with deep meaning that I only recently understood. There is a lot not easily understood at first reading. For instance Jesus said the mustard tree is the biggest of all the trees. Now I have never seen a mustard tree, in fact I didn't even know you get mustard from a tree! I grew up having Keen's mustard out of a jar on our ham sandwiches not even wondering how it got there. The mustard tree, I came to realise is not much taller than a grown man so how could Jesus describe it as being so big? Some commentators suggest that in the dry arid area of Palestine where Jesus was preaching, the trees couldn't get much depth and therefore did not grow very high. Therefore the birds building their nests in its branches would not be that far away from any earth-bound predator.

Anyway, that being said, let's look at what Jesus did mean when he used the mustard seeds as a parable of the growth that is possible for one tiny speck of faith.

Meditation:

I think the one central truth the parable is attempting to teach is how the kingdom will develop from the smallest of beginnings into something that will be greater than anyone could have imagined from the outset.
Jesus says there's this mustard seed, and it's a tiny speck of a seed, seeming so insignificant when it's sown. But eventually it grows into this six to ten foot plant that has these large branches that produce all this shade. Jesus is dealing with the fact that His followers may feel like this seed is very insignificant. With all that was going on in the Roman Empire, here's this little group of people gathered together. It may have felt like their seed was so insignificant. What difference could it make?
What difference could it make? Do you realize every person that has trusted Jesus as Savior can trace his/her spiritual roots back to one of these people sitting in the room with Jesus on that day? It may have seemed like a little, insignificant seed, but it changed the world, literally changed the world. So it may feel like your sowing of the seed is very insignificant ­ what could possibly come of this? Well, an eternal harvest, for one thing, as God takes these little seeds that are sown, and He builds His kingdom.

What can mustard seeds teach us about the kingdom of God? The tiny mustard seed literally grew to be a tree which attracted numerous birds because they loved the little black mustard seed it produced.

God's kingdom works in a similar fashion. It starts from the smallest beginnings in the hearts of men and women who are receptive to God's word. And it works unseen and causes a transformation from within. Just as a seed has no power to change itself until it is planted in the ground, so we cannot change our lives to be like God until God gives us the power of his Holy Spirit. The Lord of the Universe is ever ready to transform us by the power of his Spirit. Are you ready to let God change you by his grace and power?

The kingdom of God produces a transformation in those who receive the new life which Jesus Christ offers. When we yield to Jesus Christ, our lives are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. Paul the Apostle says, "We have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us" (2 Corinthians 4:7). Do you believe in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit?

"Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and transform me into the Christ-like holiness you desire. Increase my zeal for your kingdom and instill in me a holy desire to live for your greater glory."

The following reflection is courtesy of Presentation Ministries (c) 2013. Their website is located at presentationministries.com

GETTING A PERM

"You even joined in the sufferings of those who were in prison and joyfully assented to the confiscation of your goods, knowing that you had better and more permanent possessions." —Hebrews 10:34

The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed: it begins very small (Mark 4:31). Furthermore, the kingdom of God stays small for a long time because it grows slowly (see Mark 4:27). Usually small, slow things are not successful, but the kingdom of God is and will be the most successful of all kingdoms. The secret is its permanence. It may be slow and small, but when the fast and the big pass away, God's kingdom will still be growing slowly. As a member of God's kingdom, is your life permanently founded on the rock of obedience to God's unchanging word? (Matt 7:24; Lk 21:33) Do you have "better and more permanent possessions" than material goods? (Heb 10:34) Have you been "solicitous to make your call and election permanent?" (2 Peter 1:10) The psalmist proclaims: "Permanence is Your word's chief trait" (Psalm 119:160). It may also be the chief trait of God's kingdom. It can be a chief trait of your life. Give yourself totally to God. Become His permanent possession.

Prayer: Father, send the Holy Spirit to renew my Confirmation.

Promise: "Do not, then, surrender your confidence; it will have great reward." —Heb 10:35
 

 

 

Feast of St John Bosco - January 31

Meditation: What does the image of light and a lamp tell us about God's kingdom?
Lamps in the ancient world served a vital function, much like they do today. They enable people to see and work in the dark and to avoid stumbling. The Jews also understood "light" as an expression of the inner beauty, truth, and goodness of God. In his light we see light (Psalm 36:9). His word is a lamp that guides our steps (Psalm 119:105).

God's grace not only illumines the darkness in our lives, but it also fills us with spiritual light, joy, and peace. Jesus used the image of a lamp to describe how his disciples are to live in the light of his truth and love. Just as natural light illumines the darkness and enables one to see visually, so the light of Christ shines in the hearts of believers and enables us to see the heavenly reality of God's kingdom. In fact, our mission is to be light-bearers of Christ so that others may see the truth of the gospel and be freed from the blindness of sin and deception.

Jesus remarks that nothing can remain hidden or secret. We can try to hide things from others, from ourselves, and from God. How tempting to shut our eyes from the consequences of our sinful ways and bad habits, even when we know what those consequences are. And how tempting to hide them from others and even from God. But, nonetheless, everything is known to God who sees all. There is great freedom and joy for those who live in God's light and who seek his truth. Those who listen to God and heed his voice will receive more from him; they will not lack what they need to live as Christ's disciples, and they will shine as lights to those who hunger for God's truth and wisdom. Do you know the joy and freedom of living in God's light?

"Lord Jesus, you guide me by the light of your saving truth. Fill my heart and mind with your light and truth and free me from the blindness of sin and deception that I may see your ways clearly and understand your will for my life. May I radiate your light and truth to others in word and deed."

The following reflection is courtesy of Presentation Ministries (c) 2013. Their website is located at presentationministries.com

"THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCN893hzueQ

"Is a lamp acquired to be put under a bushel basket?" —Mark 4:21
Are the benefits you receive from reading the Bible and this book "to be put under a bushel basket or hidden under a bed?" (Mk 4:21) "Is it not meant" for you to share what you have learned? (Mk 4:21) "Let him who has ears to hear Me, hear!" (Mk 4:23) "Listen carefully to what you hear. In the measure you give you shall receive, and more besides" (Mk 4:24). The more you share your faith, the stronger your faith becomes. If you want to understand the Bible much more deeply, share God's word much more often. If you let your light shine, your light will become brighter. "For God, Who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts, that we in turn might make known the glory of God shining on the face of Christ" (2 Cor 4:6). Share the Word of God more; shine more. Share Jesus.

Prayer: Father, may I be "a bright light" that "will shine to all parts of the earth" (Tobit 13:11).

Promise: "We should not absent ourselves from the assembly, as some do, but encourage one another; and this all the more because you see that the Day draws near." —Heb 10:25

Praise: St. John Bosco never gave up on any of the young people with whom he met, but always saw an opportunity for God's grace to be revealed.
 
Remember you can subscribe to Father Kevin Lee of the Catholic Priests Corp by visiting my website at tandang67.wix.com/unholy and stay tuned for the book Unholy Silence due for publication in mid 2013. You can request a copy by accessing this site and filling in the form.

Accept the Word with a Generous Heart

Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around Him was so large that He got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. ² He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: ³ “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” (Mark 4:1-8)

Meditation: What does the parable about seeds and roots say to us about the kingdom of God?

Any farmer will attest to the importance of good soil for supplying nutrients for growth. And how does a plant get the necessary food and water it needs except by its roots? The scriptures frequently use the image of fruit-bearing plants or trees to convey the principle of spiritual life and death. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit (Jeremiah 17:7-8; see also Psalm 1:3)

Jesus' parable of the sower is aimed at the hearers of his word. There are different ways of accepting God's word and they produce different kinds of fruit accordingly. There is the prejudiced hearer who has a shut mind.
Such a person is unteachable and blind to what he or she doesn't want to hear. Then there is the shallow hearer. He or she fails to think things out or think them through; they lack depth. They may initially respond with an emotional reaction; but when it wears off their mind wanders to something else. Another type of hearer is the person who has many interests
or cares, but who lacks the ability to hear or comprehend what is truly important.

Such a person is too busy to pray or too preoccupied to study and meditate on God's word. Then there is the one whose mind is open. Such a person is at all times willing to listen and to learn. He or she is never too proud or too busy to learn. They listen in order to understand. God gives grace to those who hunger for his word that they may understand his
will and have the strength to live according to it. Do you hunger for God's word?
"Lord Jesus, faith in your word is the way to wisdom, and to ponder your divine plan is to grow in the truth. Open my eyes to your deeds, and my ears to the sound of your call, that I may understand your will for my life and live according to it".

The following reflection is courtesy of Presentation Ministries (c) 2013. Their website is located at presentationministries.com

FINISHING SCHOOL

"Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins and took His seat forever at the right hand of God; now He waits until His enemies are placed beneath His feet." —Hebrews 10:12-13

Jesus has already won the ultimate victory over Satan, sin, death, hell, slavery, fear, etc. It's over. Jesus is victorious irreversibly. We don't have to wonder about the outcome. As Jesus said on Calvary: "It is finished" (Jn 19:30). All that's left is to mop up after Jesus' victory by placing His enemies beneath His feet. We do this by first throwing ourselves at Jesus' feet in submission and adoration. In this way, we join in Jesus' victory and refuse to believe the devil's lies or take his bribes. We hasten the day (2 Pt 3:12) when every knee will bend, even Satan's, before Jesus the Lord (Phil 2:10). Jesus is finished. We'll be finished, too, when we place ourselves and Jesus' enemies at His nail-scarred feet.

Prayer: Jesus, I prostrate myself before You as did the wise men (Mt 2:11).
Promise: "Those sown on good soil are the ones who listen to the word, take it to heart, and yield at thirty- and sixty- and a hundredfold." —Mark 4:20

WHO ARE MY BROTHERS & SISTERS? Meditation on the readings of Mass on 29th January 2012

Meditation: Who do you love and cherish the most? God did not intend for us to be alone, but to be with others. He gives us many opportunities for developing relationships with family, friends, neighbours, and co-workers.

Why did Jesus, on this occasion, seem to ignore his own relatives when they pressed to see him? His love and respect for his mother and his relatives was unquestionable. Jesus never lost an opportunity to teach his disciples a spiritual lesson and truth about the kingdom of God. On this occasion when many gathered to hear Jesus he pointed to another higher reality of relationships, namely our relationship with God and with those who belong to God.

What is the essence of being a Christian? It is certainly more than doctrine, precepts, and commandments. It is first and foremost a relationship a relationship of trust, affection, commitment, loyalty, faithfulness, kindness, thoughtfulness, compassion, mercy, helpfulness, encouragement, support, strength, protection, and so many other qualities that bind people together in mutual love and unity. God offers us the greatest of relationships union of heart, mind, and spirit with himself, the very author and source of love (1 John 4:8,16). God's love never fails, never forgets, never compromises, never lies, never lets us down nor disappoints us. His love is consistent, unwavering, unconditional, and unstopable. Nothing can deter him from ever leaving us, ignoring us, or treating us unkindly. He will love us no matter what. It is his nature to love. That is why he created us – to be united with him and to share in his love and unity of persons (1 John 3:1). God is a trinity of persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – and a community of love. That is why Jesus challenged his followers and even his own earthly relatives to recognize that God is the true source of all relationships.

God wants all of our relationships to be rooted in his love. Jesus is God's love incarnate – God's love made visible in human flesh (1 John 4:9-10). That is why Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep and the shepherd who seeks out the sheep who have strayed and lost their way. God is like the father who yearns for his prodigal son to return home and then throws a great party for his son when he has a change of heart and comes back (Luke 15:11-32). Jesus offered up his life on the cross for our sake, so that we could be forgiven and restored to unity and friendship with God. It is through Jesus that we become the adopted children of God – his own sons and daughters. That is why Jesus told his disciples that they would have many new friends and family relationships in his kingdom. Whoever does the will of God is a friend of God and a member of his family – his sons and daughters who have been ransomed by the precious blood of Christ.

An early Christian martyr once said that "a Christian's only relatives are the saints" – namely those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ and adopted as sons and daughters of God. Those who have been baptized into Jesus Christ and who live as his disciples enter into a new family, a family of "saints" here on earth and in heaven. Jesus changes the order of relationships and shows that true kinship is not just a matter of flesh and blood. Our adoption as sons and daughters of God transforms all of our relationships and requires a new order of loyalty to God first and to his kingdom of righteousness and peace. Do you want to grow in love and friendship? Allow God's Holy Spirit to transform your heart, mind, and will to enable you to love freely and generously as he loves.

"Heavenly Father, you are the source of all true friendship and love. In all my relationships, may your love be my constant guide for choosing what is good and for rejecting what is contrary to your will."

The following reflection is courtesy of Presentation Ministries (c) 2013. Their website is located at presentationministries.com

 WHERE THERE'S GOD'S WILL, THERE'S THE WAY

"I have come to do Your will." —Hebrews 10:9

Jesus' relatives "came to take charge of Him, saying, 'He is out of His mind' " (Mk 3:21). Because His relatives thought He was crazy, you might think Jesus would "mind His manners." Jesus, however, was not one to succumb to pressure in even the slightest way. Jesus then said something He knew would make Him look crazy. When told that His mother, brothers, and sisters were outside, Jesus asked the "crazy" question: "Who are My mother and My brothers?" (Mk 3:33) Imagine someone telling you your wife was on the phone. What if you said: "Who is my wife?" Wouldn't it make people doubt your sanity, especially if you were already being described as insane? Obviously, Jesus didn't care how He sounded or what people thought. Jesus' concern was not to protect Himself or please people; His total concern was to do the will of His Father (see Mk 3:35). To do the Father's will was Jesus' food (Jn 4:34). He delighted to do the Father's will (see Ps 40:9). When God's will became bitterly painful, Jesus did it anyway. He said and lived: "Not My will, but Thy (the Father's) will be done" (Mt 26:39, our transl.). Jesus did the Father's will, even to death on the cross (see Phil 2:8).

Prayer: Father, I decide to do Your will, especially in the situations where I am tempted to be self-willed.

Promise: "By this 'will,' we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." —Heb 10:10

What is Jesus really like? Can one person really know?

Homily for 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

                                     Welcome to the Gospel According to Luke

Nehemiah 8:1-4, 5-6, 8-20

1 Corinthians 12:12-30

Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

One day in an introductory Bible class one of the participants asked: "Why are there four Gospels rather than one?" Certainly things would look a lot easier if there was only one Gospel. Everything we read in that one Gospel would then be the gospel truth, pure and simple. Now that we have four Gospels that often differ significantly from one another, things can be quite confusing. When you come to think of it, however, you begin to realise that things would be a lot worse if we had only one Gospel. If we had only one Gospel we would think that there is only one way of understanding Jesus and how he relates to us. But now that we have four different Gospels, each of them telling a significantly different story of Jesus and his mission, it becomes easier for us to see that no story of Jesus can exhaust the whole truth of what Jesus is. As limited human beings we can only tell part of the story of God.This remind us of the story of the six blind men who set out to discover what the elephant is. The first blind man feels the elephant's side and says the elephant is like a wall. The second blind man feels the elephant's tusk and says it is like a spear. The third feels the trunk and says it is like a snake. The fourth feels the elephant's leg and says the elephant is like a tree. The fifth feels the ear and says it is like a fan. And the sixth blind man feels the elephant's tail and concludes that the elephant is like a rope. You could imagine the bitter disagreement that would ensue among them if they got together to discuss the nature of the elephant. Every one of them would insist that he is right and the others wrong. But the truth of the matter is: yes, he is right, but then so also are all the others. Each of them has a valid experience of the elephant but no one of them possesses the full knowledge of the total reality of the elephant. Even when you put all the six images of the elephant together it still does not capture the full mosaic of the elephant. After Vatican II the church's reading of the Gospels on Sunday was revised into a three-year cycle: year A for the gospel of Matthew, year B for Mark, and year C for Luke. The gospel of John is read on certain Sundays interspersed within the three years, such as the Sundays of the Easter season. We are now in year C, the year of Luke. The question we shall be asking ourselves this year is, What aspect of the mystery of Christ does Luke highlight, as distinct from the focus of the other Gospels? A certain scholar has outlined in one word the aspect of Christ that each of the Gospels highlights. Matthew highlights the Christ of majesty (who heals by word of mouth alone, never touches people, never hungry, never angry, etc.), Mark highlights the Christ of might (who proves he is the Messiah by his acts of power and authority over natural and demonic forces), Luke highlights the Christ of mercy (who reaches out to the poor, the outcasts, foreigners and women) and John highlights the Christ of mystery (who was with the Father from all eternity and who has come into the world to reveal this hidden mystery, the truth that leads to life). Today we begin reading the Gospel of Luke. In his opening preface (1:1-4) Luke tells us why he wrote the gospel. It was to explain to Theophilus, probably a Roman official, what Christianity was all about. Have you ever tried to explain to someone what Christianity is all about? Many people think that Christianity is all about sin and judgment, heaven and hell; and that God is a heavenly policeman who is constantly monitoring our movements, writing down all our sins in His book and waiting to throw us into hellfire as soon as He catches up with us. Luke sees it all differently. For him Christianity has more to do with God's love and mercy than with punishment. That is why, in telling Theophilus about the Christian faith, Luke finds the incident in the synagogue in Nazareth very useful. In this incident found only in Luke's Gospel, Jesus makes a solemn declaration of his mission in the world. We can call it the Jesus Manifesto. People who initiate a revolution usually start off with a declaration of their manifesto. Karl Mark started by publishing the Communist Manifesto. Martin Luther started off with the publication of the 95 theses in Wittenberg. Jesus has come to start a revolution of mercy and love in the world. And here in today's Gospel reading he publishes the Christian manifesto: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour. (4:18-19) In these few words we see in a nutshell how Jesus, in Luke, understands his mission in the world. What is Jesus' work? It is "to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour." In Matthew Jesus speaks of "the poor in spirit" but in Luke he speaks simply of "the poor." Jesus in Luke is concerned not only with the spiritual aspects of human life but also with the material and social aspects. Here we see the love and mercy of Jesus reaching out to all in need. Like the master, so the followers. We who bear the name of Christ – Christians – ought to live according to Christ's manifesto. It is our mission as individuals and as a community to bring Good News to the poor in our society. Today's gospel challenges us to stretch out our hands in practical solidarity with those who are visibly disadvantaged around us. As Christians we should not only be concerned with saving people's souls, we should also be concerned with saving their bodies, their health, their housing and their jobs. The Good News is not only for the soul, it is also for the body. The Good News is for every person and for the whole person, body and soul. Fr. Munachi

What does the commandment "keep holy the Sabbath day" require of us?

Or better yet, what is the main intention behind this command?

Gospel, Mark 2:23-28
²³ It happened that one Sabbath day he was taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples began to make a path by plucking ears of corn.
²⁴ And the Pharisees said to him, 'Look, why are they doing something on the Sabbath day that is forbidden?'
²⁵ And he replied, 'Have you never read what David did in his time of need when he and his followers were hungry-
²⁶ how he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the loaves of the offering which only the priests are allowed to eat, and how he also gave some to the men with him?'
²⁷ And he said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath;
²⁸ so the Son of man is master even of the Sabbath.'

January 2013

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30	31

February 2013

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28

The religious leaders confronted Jesus on this issue.

The "Sabbath rest" was meant to be a time to remember and celebrate God's goodness and the goodness of his work, both in creation and redemption. It was a day set apart for the praise of God, his work of creation, and his saving actions on our behalf. It was intended to bring everyday work to a halt and to provide needed rest and refreshment. Jesus' disciples are scolded by the scribes and Pharisees, not for plucking and eating corn from the fields, but for doing so on the Sabbath.

In defending His disciples, Jesus argues from the scriptures that human need has precedence over ritual custom. When David and his men were fleeing for their lives, they sought food from Ahim'elech the priest (1 Samuel 21:1-6). The only bread he had was the holy bread offered in the Temple. None but the priests were allowed to eat it. In their hunger, David and his men ate of this bread. Jesus reminds the Pharisees that the Sabbath was given for our benefit, to refresh and renew us in living for God. It was intended for good and not for evil.

Withholding mercy and kindness in response to human need was not part of God’s intention that we rest from unnecessary labour. Do you honour the Lord in the way you treat your neighbour and celebrate the Lord’s Day?

"Lord Jesus, may I give you fitting honour in the way I live my life and in the way I treat my neighbour. May I honour the Lord's Day as a day holy to You. And may I always treat others with the same mercy and kindness which you have shown to me. Free me from a critical and intolerant spirit that I may always seek the good of my neighbour."

The following reflection is courtesy of Presentation Ministries (c) 2013.

Their website is located at presentationministries.com

 LOVING TO WORK

"Do not grow lazy." —Hebrews 6:12

The Lord could have worked out His plan of salvation without involving us, but He decided to make us parts of His body (see 1 Cor 12:12). He has chosen to accomplish His plan through our lives of good works (Eph 2:10). Therefore, it is extremely important for us to work hard for the Lord. Thus, the Lord commanded us to beg the Harvest Master to send workers into His harvest (Mt 9:38). Because our work is so important, Satan tries to shut it down. He lies to us by saying our work is so meaningless that it will soon be forgotten by others and even by God. Yet, the truth is that God "will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him by your service, past and present, to His holy people" (Heb 6:10). Another tactic by which the devil tries to slow down or stop our work is planting doubt in us about the reward of our labours. We are tempted to wonder if our work will ever amount to much and even if "our reward will be great in heaven" (see Mt 5:12; 2 Tm 4:8). The truth is that we can be fully assured of that for which we hope and of inheriting God's promises (Heb 6:11-12; Mt 10:41-42). A third tactic Satan uses is to convince us to "take a break," that we have "done our share," and we now need to "take some time for ourselves." However, we "must never grow weary of doing what is right" (2 Thes 3:13). Resist these temptations. Work hard and harder for the Lord (see Hg 2:4). "Our desire is that each of you show the same zeal till the end" (Heb 6:11).

Prayer: Father, may I work with my whole being for You (Col 3:23).

St. Joseph the Worker, pray for me to find my life's work fruitful.

Promise: "The Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath." —Mk 2:28