June 14, 2015

11th Sunday, Ordinary Time

June 14, 2015:  Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time


  •  'Tree' pin:  I will take from the crest of the cedar... (1st reading); the just one shall flourish like a palm tree (psalm)
  • 'Fruit' pin:  It shall ... bear fruit (1st reading); the land yields fruit (gospel)
  • 'Birds' tie:  Birds of every kind shall dwell beneath it (1st reading); mustard seed puts forth branches so birds can dwell in its shade (gospel)
  • 'Rock' tie pin:  They'll declare how just is the Lord, my rock...  (psalm)
  • 'Walker' tie pin:  We walk by faith, not by sight. (2nd reading)
  • 'Flag' pin:  Today is Flag Day; pray for the USA...
  • Green in shirt and suspenders:  Ordinary time season
Listen

For the gospel
Guest dresser:  Tom Keens
For the psalm
Pope Francis Angelus
Today's "sprouting seed" images speak of the strength of God’s life-giving Word and how Christ’s love transforms what's small and modest into something that makes the world and all history ferment.  The gospel has the strength that makes God's Kingdom germinate and sprout within us.
The Kingdom of God is a gift of the Lord, but it requires our collaboration.  Though our contribution may seem meager in the face of the world's problems, thanks to God’s love each seed of goodness will sprout and grow, and this gives hope to life; notwithstanding injustice and pain we come across, the seed of charity and peace will yield its fruits thanks to God's love.
Pray everyone will receive the message of my upcoming encyclical about the environment (Laudato Si, On the care of our common home) and grow in responsibility toward the common home God has entrusted to us.

Read
  • Ez 17:22-24  I'll plant a tender shoot on a high mountain.  It'll bear fruit and become a majestic cedar, and the trees shall know I, the Lord, bring low the high tree, lift high the lowly tree, wither the green tree, and make the withered tree bloom.

  • Ps 92:2-3, 13-16  "Lord, it is good to give thanks to you," to proclaim your kindness and faithfulness.  The just shall flourish.

  • 2 Cor 5:6-10  We're courageous, though while we're in the body, we're away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not sight.  We'd rather leave the body and go home to the Lord.  We aspire to please him, at home or away....

  • Mk 4:26-34  “The kingdom of God is as if a man scattered seed that grew and yielded fruit.  When the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle.”  “It's like a mustard seed that in the ground is the smallest of seeds but once sown becomes the largest of plants.”  With many parables he spoke the word to them, and he explained everything privately to his disciples.

Happy silver anniversary, Msgr. Antonio Cacciapuoti!

Reflect
    • Creighton:  At the time of the Babylonian captivity, people wondered how God could be faithful; Ezekiel said God will plant a shoot as their future, the 'powerful' will be brought down, and the lowly raised up (cf. Hannah's song, Mary's Magnificat).  Early Christians came to believe their true home was heaven, and wondered how they'd live here; Paul says we have courage "for we walk by faith," in confidence (L. con-fideo, 'I believe in').  Jesus explains God's reign is like the farmer sowing seed, not knowing how it grows....  May I place my trust in God in the midst of challenges.
    • One Bread One Body:  "Awaiting trial":  Jesus will judge us based on our faith expressed in action and our fruitfulness as his stewards.  We must lead people to repentance, salvation, freedom, peace, and life, making disciples, beginning those close to us.  The world should be better because we lived:  life should be more respected and protected, the poor should have been given justice and mercy, and God's kingdom should be more established.  We may not see abundant fruit from our lives, but growth is invisible at first.  It may seem small as a mustard seed but will grow....
      Mustard plant
    • Passionist:  There's nothing about a tiny black mustard seed that suggests the life and abundance that can spring forth from it.  The first disciples opened their hearts to Jesus' words of Jesus sensing something greater, and they were asked to open deeper and wider ways to sprout a new way of being rooted in Jesus, then to go out.  May my trust open with deeper faith to believe in the divine power and glory that sprouts when we give Christ a receptive and open heart.
    • DailyScripture.net:  The mustard seed grew to be a tree which attracted birds; they loved its little black seed.  God's kingdom starts from small beginnings in receptive hearts and transforms from within.  As seed can't change till planted, we can't become like God without the Spirit, but when we yield to the Lord, we're transformed.   Re how the "tree of the cross" grew into a community offering fruit to the world:
    "We must sow the seed and let it grow into a tree, elevating our faculties; spreading knowledge, making us burn.  Christ, sown in the Virgin, grew into the cross whose branches stretch worldwide.  Crushed in the passion, its fruit flavors and preserves everyone it touches.  Christ chose to be crushed to unleash his power….  He became all things to restore us.  He received the seed and sowed it in the Church.  Such then is the mustard seed which Christ sowed in his garden. Seed took root in the patriarchs, sprang up with the prophets, grew with the apostles, and put forth gift-laden branches in the Church.  Fly to rest among the sturdy branches where no snare will trap you."  (St. Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 98; more)
    • Today's Saints, thanks to Universalis (though Sunday-trumped)
      • Lidwina, ice-skating when she fell and broke a rib, suffered MS, had gift of prayer and contemplation 
      • Davnet
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