The
WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/061718.cfm)
reminds me how powerful God is.
A lot of people would literally
do anything for power. We see politicians mudslinging publicly in an attempt to
destroy competition for a government position (which in the first place should
not be used for power, rather for service). We see people hurting, or even
killing enemies or competition. They are willing to do a lot of things for
power. However, we should not forget that these are just earthly, man-made
powers.
Only God has ultimate powers.
In the first reading, we see
the power of God – that he can bring low the high tree, and bring high the low
tree. That he can wither up the green tree and make bloom the withered tree. In
the gospel, we see God making the seeds grow. Human beings do not know how, and
cannot make seeds grow and become fruit bearing trees. We see the mustard seed,
from how small it was, to how huge God can make it. These are things only God
with his power can do.
This should give us a fresh
perspective in life. We sometimes get so overwhelmed by the world – our
concerns, our plans and dreams, and our quest for greatness, success and power.
however, we should not let these things blind us from what is really important.
We should not let our quest for these things enable us to do what God does not
want from us. We should not forget that everything in this world is man-made,
and only God has ultimate power, and only God can really fill us up and
complete us.
What is my definition of power?
Do I want to have it? What do I do for it? What am doing with earthly power and
authority given to me? Do I glorify God with what I have? In what ways have I
experienced God’s power? Do I have faith in God’s great power?
May we be always remember that
only God has ultimate powers in this world, and may it lead us to surrendering
and trusting Him.
Father God,
Thank you for
today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another Sunday. thank
you for another chance to love and serve you. thank you for all the blessings.
Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I get caught up in my
dreams and desires of this world. and sorry for losing my morals and
compromising my values as I seek to attain greatness, power and success. May
you always remind me who has the real and ultimate power, and may it lead me to
always trust and surrender to you. Do as me as you want, as you do with seeds –
make me grow so I can glorify your name and bear fruit for you. amen.
Blessed
Sunday!
In
Christ,
-g-
Ps
See
related reflection:
June 17, 2018
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 92
Lectionary: 92
Reading 1 EZ 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.
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 PS 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.
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 COR 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.
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.
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower.
All who come to him will live forever.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MK 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.
“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.
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