Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 92
Reading 1
Ezekiel 17:22-24
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I, too, will take from the crest of the cedar,
from its topmost branches tear off a tender shoot,
and plant it on a high and lofty mountain;
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.
And all the trees of the field shall know
that I, the LORD,
bring low the high tree,
lift high the lowly tree,
wither up the green tree,
and make the withered tree bloom.
As I, the LORD, have spoken, so will I do.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16
R. (cf. 2a) Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.
It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
to sing praise to your name, Most High,
To proclaim your kindness at dawn
and your faithfulness throughout the night.
R. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.
The just one shall flourish like the palm tree,
like a cedar of Lebanon shall he grow.
They that are planted in the house of the LORD
shall flourish in the courts of our God.
R. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.
They shall bear fruit even in old age;
vigorous and sturdy shall they be,
Declaring how just is the LORD,
my rock, in whom there is no wrong.
R. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.
Reading 2
2 Corinthians 5:6-10
Brothers and sisters:
We are always courageous,
although we know that while we are at home in the body
we are away from the Lord,
for we walk by faith, not by sight.
Yet we are courageous,
and we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord.
Therefore, we aspire to please him,
whether we are at home or away.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
so that each may receive recompense,
according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower.
All who come to him will live forever.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Mark 4:26-34
Jesus said to the crowds:
“This is how it is with the kingdom of God;
it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day
and through it all the seed would sprout and grow,
he knows not how.
Of its own accord the land yields fruit,
first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,
for the harvest has come.”
He said,
“To what shall we compare the kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.
But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”
With many such parables
he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.
Without parables he did not speak to them,
but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
The Mysteries of the Kingdom
With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private. Mark 4:33–34
The deepest mysteries of our faith can only be understood by someone who has deep faith. Understanding requires much more than just a keen intellect; it also requires an interior attentiveness to and familiarity with the voice of God. For that reason, as Jesus spoke to the crowds, He used parables and figures of speech rather than speaking directly about the mysteries of Heaven.
By analogy, if you were to attend a very special feast and you had well-formed taste buds, you might enjoy being served the best cut of meat cooked to perfection with a fine glass of wine. But to a small child, such a meal might not be that appealing. The same is true with music. If you were a musician who studied and played music throughout life, then you might have a greater appreciation for certain types of music. Others might simply be drawn to a certain type of music by the beat or because it has catchy lyrics.
In a similar way, a person who has only a little faith might not be immediately drawn into the deepest mystical truths of God when they are explained directly and clearly. Instead, they might find that a simplified Gospel message that uses familiar imagery or stories is better able to catch their attention and communicate the message.
This is good for us to understand because it’s good for us to turn to the means of communication with God most suited for our depth of faith and understanding. For most people, it will be very useful to see themselves as one of those people in the crowds to whom Jesus spoke His parables. We should especially see ourselves as a part of the crowds as we begin our journey of faith. However, when a person has spent much time in prayer and meditation over the years and their faith begins to deepen, they may find that parables and stories are not as inspiring as they once were. They need more. They long for God to speak to them more clearly and deeply.
Practically speaking, as your faith grows, it is good to look for the deeper ways that God speaks to you. How does He come to you and explain His will and the truths of faith more directly as Jesus did to the Apostles? Perhaps reading the lives of the saints, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, or some other spiritual book will engage you more deeply. Also, some Scripture passages may feed you more as you grow in faith, such as the passages where Jesus speaks more directly to His disciples.
Reflect, today, upon the way that you are most fully fed by God’s holy Word at this point in your life. The best way to identify this is to consider what it is that has given you the most consolation and inspiration as of late. How has God’s Word most powerfully resonated within you over this past year? Identifying the way that God has spoken to you recently is the best way to decide how to continue to receive from Him all that He wants to teach you and reveal to you at this point of your journey of faith. Continue to seek out God’s voice, and be open to letting Him draw you ever more deeply into the beautiful depths of the mysteries of His Kingdom.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
WITHER-PROOF
“I, the Lord...wither up the green tree, and make the withered tree bloom.” —Ezekiel 17:24
Once Jesus looked for fruit on a fig tree. The tree had no fruit, only leaves. Jesus cursed that fig tree and it “withered up instantly” to its roots (Mt 21:19; Mk 11:20). It didn’t bear fruit, for it was not yet the season for figs (Mk 11:13). This could be Jesus’ way of indicating that the kingdom of God was now at hand. The time of Jesus’ visitation came (Lk 19:44), and there was no fruit to be found after “three years” of ministry (see Lk 13:6-9).
In the natural world, some seasons are for bearing fruit and others for being dormant. In the kingdom of God, however, we are to bear fruit “in season and out of season” (2 Tm 4:2, RSV-CE). In God’s kingdom, the trees bear fruit every month of the year (Rv 22:2); there is no off-season.
We may be weak and tiny, yet the Lord can make us bloom “and bear fruit” for His Kingdom (Ez 17:23). Though we may be old and “withered,” He will make “the withered tree bloom” (Ez 17:24). Jesus heals the withered (see Lk 6:6).
Rooted in the Word of God, we will be a tree planted by streams of water, yielding constant fruit without withering (Ps 1:3, RSV-CE; see also Ez 47:12, RSV-CE). We will bear fruit even in old age when our bodies would normally wither (Ps 92:15; Is 40:29-31).
A time will come when we must bear fruit (see Lk 13:9; Jn 15:2-6). If we bear no fruit, we will be “like a withered, rejected branch, picked up to be thrown in the fire and burnt” (Jn 15:6). Be wither-proof. Stay rooted in Jesus.
Prayer: Father, give me such a hunger for Your Word that I will become wither-proof and bear the abundant fruit You seek.
Promise: “We walk by faith, not by sight.” —2 Cor 5:7
Praise: Alleluia! Jesus will come again in glory. Praise be to Jesus!
Reflection 3
Shared from God's Word
The parable of the growing seed speaks about the mysterious growth of seeds which occurs without our involvement and knowledge. The farmer’s duty is to sow the seed in good soil, how it germinates being God’s work. Just as the seed in the good soil already has the life force in it, ready to grow, so the Gospel has the power to bring salvation to everyone who believes. Our duty is to plant the seeds of the Gospel wherever we are, while it is God who makes it grow and blossom in the hearts of the recipients. The parable of the Mustard Seed focuses on the capacity of our tiny efforts in the spread of the Gospel to bear fruits beyond our expectations, just like a mustard plant becomes a big shrub when grown. We shall not look down on our efforts in the spread of the Gospel and feel discouraged, considering ourselves as not big enough or even unable to reach out to many. The truth is, even if our effort looks small, God can always make something big out of it.
Prayers
Glorious Word of God, You choose to speak to Your people in varied ways. To some, You speak through parables and figures of speech. To others, You speak more directly and intimately, revealing the depths of Your Heart. Please speak to me in the ways that will deepen my faith so that I can continue my journey into the many mysteries You wish to reveal. Jesus, I trust in You.
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.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 167: Desiring the Lord to the Greatest Degree
When you pray, and when you pray long and hard, the Lord will enter in. He will commune with you and unite His Heart to yours. You will experience these effects in various ways. One common effect is that the closer you are drawn into union with Christ, the more you will desire this union. And the more you desire this union, the more you will be drawn into union. Your prayer has a cyclical effect upon your union and your desire. This is good to be aware of so as to allow our Lord to use your desires to be drawn into greater holiness of life (See Diary #867).
What do you desire the most in life? What is the treasure you seek? This is an important reflection to make in an honest and sincere way. “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Mt. 6:21). If the Lord is your greatest treasure in life, then your heart will be drawn to Him in a powerful way. You will desire intimacy with Him and that desire will draw you close. Reflect, honestly, upon what you desire and allow the insight you gain to reorder the priorities you have.
Lord, please help me to make You the central Treasure of my life and to seek You and to desire You with all my heart. As I am drawn to You, increase my desire, and as You increase my desire, draw me closer. Lord, I pray that every aspect of my life may ultimately become consumed with a longing to serve You and Your holy Will. Jesus, I trust in You.
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