Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 480
Reading 1
Ephesians 5:21-33
Brothers and sisters:
Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.
For the husband is head of his wife
just as Christ is head of the Church,
he himself the savior of the Body.
As the Church is subordinate to Christ,
so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ loved the Church
and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
that he might present to himself the Church in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
that she might be holy and without blemish.
So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one hates his own flesh
but rather nourishes and cherishes it,
even as Christ does the Church,
because we are members of his Body.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
This is a great mystery,
but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church.
In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself,
and the wife should respect her husband.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
R. (1a) Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Alleluia
See Matthew 11:25
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
You have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Luke 13:18-21
Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?
To what can I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.
When it was fully grown, it became a large bush
and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”
Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
It is like yeast that a woman took
and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Planting the Seed, Over and Over Again
Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.” Luke 13:18–19
This short parable should speak to many people far more than they realize. It should be a source of great encouragement to us all as we seek to build up the Kingdom of God through apostolic works.
The mustard seed is very small. At first, when someone holds it in their hand, they may not think much of it. But if they did plant it under ideal conditions, that seed could grow into a tree upwards of 20 feet tall.
Jesus uses this parable to teach us many lessons. One such lesson is that of our apostolic works of charity. When you think of the call of being an apostle for the Lord, spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth, what comes to mind? Perhaps the first thought is of those who have been entrusted with a very large, public and vibrant ministry. In this case, it is easier to see the good fruit born of one’s apostolic works. But what about you? For most people, they may strive to love and serve others in every small way they can, and they fail to see the abundance of good fruit born from their efforts. When this happens, some may become discouraged and lose zeal for the spreading of the Gospel.
If this is you, then consider the mustard seed. Planting this small seed is representative of much of our apostolic endeavors. God calls us to do small acts of kindness, share our faith in subtle and even hidden ways, serve out of love even when it is unnoticed, and to do so without ceasing. Do these small acts bear fruit for the Kingdom of God? If you believe this parable of the mustard seed, then the answer must be a resounding “Yes.”
Many times in life, we will never see the full effects that our actions have on others. Our negative influence will affect them far more than we realize. And our loving acts of charity, by which we share our faith, will also affect people far more than we realize. Believing in the message of this Parable of the Mustard Seed should lead us to believe that planting those small seeds of faith, through our charity, virtues, and words, will indeed bear an abundance of good fruit, far more than we may ever know, until we enter the glories of Heaven.
Reflect, today, upon your duty to daily plant the smallest seeds of faith and love. Do not get discouraged if your efforts do not bear abundantly obvious fruit. Simply commit yourself to the planting, over and over. Take delight in sowing the seed of faith and see this as your mission. If you do this throughout your life, from Heaven you will look back and be amazed at how God powerfully brought forth His Kingdom through those seemingly insignificant acts of faith and love.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
MEN OF LOVE
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church. He gave Himself up for her.” —Ephesians 5:25
The secular culture chokes on the opening of today’s first reading, “Wives should be submissive to their husbands” (Eph 5:22). Yet that is not the most radical sentence of this passage. St. Paul’s call for husbands to love their wives as Jesus loves the Church (Eph 5:25) is an extraordinarily radical challenge, both for the culture of Paul’s time and for every age since.
In Paul’s time, wives were considered the property of the husband and had no rights at all. Yet Paul commanded husbands to lay down their lives for their wives, to care for them as they cared for their own body (Eph 5:28-29), as Christ loves the Church (Eph 5:25). How does Jesus love the Church? He says to the Church: “This is My body, to be given up for you” (see 1 Cor 11:24). To love his wife in this way means that the husband says to his wife: “This is my body, to be given up for you.”
Jesus asks in today’s Gospel passage: “What does the reign of God resemble?” (Lk 13:18) The kingdom of God is like the radical love of a husband who loves his wife as Jesus loves the Church. He literally lays down his life — his interests, schedule, hopes, dreams — for her welfare. He walks to the cross for her. He honors, nourishes, and provides for her. He uplifts her, as Jesus does for His Church. He spiritually leads her, teaches her, and loves her. He leads and teaches the children they bring into the world.
Yes, the world will notice a husband who loves his wife like this. The people in the world, seeing this married love, will realize that Jesus loves them (Eph 5:32).
Prayer: Father, raise up husbands and wives who will lead the way in evangelization through love, hospitality, and making and raising disciples for You (Mt 28:19-20).
Promise: “Happy are you who fear the Lord.” —Ps 128:1
Praise: Kevin reconciled with his wife and their marriage lasted until death.
Reflection 3
The Servants of the Word
What God's Kingdom Is Like
What can mustard seeds and leaven 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.
The transforming power of the Holy Spirit within us
Leaven is another powerful agent of change. A lump of dough left to itself remains just what it is, a lump of dough. But when the leaven is added to it a transformation takes place which produces rich and wholesome bread when heated - the staple of life for humans. 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?
Prayers
My glorious King, You desire that Your Kingdom grow far and wide through our efforts of love. Please do use me, dear Lord, to plant Your seeds of faith and charity every day. May I never tire of these apostolic endeavors and may I always take great delight in serving You and building Your Kingdom in every way I can. 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 302: A Great, Powerful & Keen Intellect
Our minds are a gift from God and one of the two primary ways we are made in His image and likeness. The other way is through the gift of our free will. But the intellect is an incredible gift that must be given to the work of God. It is good to pray that our Lord make our minds great, powerful and keen so that we may know Him, understand Him and comprehend all the rich mysteries that He desires to reveal to us. Our minds grasp the truths of God in two primary ways. First, we must strive to engage all the many truths revealed by God through His Church. This includes the truths contained in Holy Scripture, the teachings offered by the Magisterium, the revelations from the lives of the saints and the theological discourses that seek to clarify and deepen our understanding. These precious gifts, given through the Church, reveal to us the mysteries of God. But the mind is also capable of receiving direct infusion from God. When we allow our minds to be given to God, He imparts a knowledge and wisdom directly from His own Mind. This gift offers us immediate clarity in life and discernment of His holy Will (See Diary #1474).
Reflect today upon how fully you have given your mind over to the teachings of our Lord. Reflect, first, upon whether you seek God’s Truth through the Church. Do you study the Scripture and all that has been revealed through the Church? Reflect, also, upon the direct infusion of Truth that our Lord wishes to impart to you. This precious gift comes on account of His abundant Mercy so as to lead you into knowledge of His very essence and His holy Will.
Lord, my life is Yours. Today I especially surrender my intellect to You to use as You will. Teach me Your ways and reveal to me the very essence of Your eternal being. As I come to know You, dear Lord, give me the grace to follow You with all my mind and heart. Jesus, I trust in You.
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