The WORD today reminds me that I should be focused on sowing seeds
for God's kingdom and not on seeing the effects of our actions.
It
is normal for people to want to see the output of their efforts. I believe this
is the reason why community building outreach activities are so popular.
Institutions like “habitat for humanity” and “gawad kalinga” who give people
the chance of seeing the immediate output of their actions are supported very
well. After working for a day, volunteers get to see the output – be it hollow
blocks or other materials being moved from one place to another, a house being
painted or walls buing built – these things give a sense of fulfillment and
joy, knowing that the effort spent was not put to waste. However, it is
not always like this when we are doing God’s work.
In
the first part of the gospel, we see that the man would just sow the seeds, and
he does not know how these seeds grow and bear fruit. He does not know what
happens inside the soil, he just sows seeds. What happens to the seeds, inside
the soil, and the fruits it will bear are all dependent on God - what God wants
to happen according to his perfect plans. His power, not our efforts. His
plans, not ours.
We should be focused on sowing seeds for God's kingdom
and not on seeing the effects of our actions.
We
may not always see the effects of our service to God. We may not always get
good results. However, these things should not dishearten us and prevent us
from doing God’s work, from planting seeds.
God needs workers to plant seeds of faith. God needs our
help to spread his word.
We
do not need to see the effects of our actions. We do not need to know that the
seeds bore fruit. We should not seek comfort and approval from the output of
our work, because everything is dependent on God’s time and plan, not ours. We
should just focus on God as we do his work, and have complete faith that our
work for Him is not futile. We may not see the effects but it does not mean God
is not pleased with us, that our actions were not effective. We may think we
are doing small things for him, but the mustard seed in the gospel reminds us
that little things done for Him can be turned into something good. Something
big. Something great. We should just remember that no good work, especially if
done for God, is futile.
What
are the things I do for God? Why do I do these things? Do I enjoy the success
or affirmation, or is it because I know these are the things God wants me to
do? Do I focus on the outcome, or just on obeying God?
May
we continue to sow seeds of faith without the need to see the effects of our
actions.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live.
Thank you for another reminder. Thank you for the opportunity to continue to
sow seeds of faith to others around me. sorry for the times I look for and
focus on the results of my actions. Sorry for wanting validation and
affirmation. Lord, guide me so I wont be too focused on the results, on the
fruits of the seeds. Remind me that those seeds would bear fruit, not
necessarily in my time, but definitely in your perfect time. May I just
continue to sow seeds of faith and focus on you as I work for you, knowing in
faith that my work for you will always bear fruit. Use the little I have and
turn it into something that would give you great glory. Amen.
Blessed Day!
In Christ,
-g-
January 31 2020
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30 | February
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Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest
Lectionary: 321
Lectionary: 321
Reading
1 2 SM 1:1-4A, 5-10A, 13-17
At the turn of
the year, when kings go out on campaign,
David sent out Joab along with his officers
and the army of Israel,
and they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah.
David, however, remained in Jerusalem.
One evening David rose from his siesta
and strolled about on the roof of the palace.
From the roof he saw a woman bathing, who was very beautiful.
David had inquiries made about the woman and was told,
“She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam,
and wife of Joab’s armor bearer Uriah the Hittite.”
Then David sent messengers and took her.
When she came to him, he had relations with her.
She then returned to her house.
But the woman had conceived,
and sent the information to David, “I am with child.”
David therefore sent a message to Joab,
“Send me Uriah the Hittite.”
So Joab sent Uriah to David.
When he came, David questioned him about Joab, the soldiers,
and how the war was going, and Uriah answered that all was well.
David then said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and bathe your feet.”
Uriah left the palace,
and a portion was sent out after him from the king’s table.
But Uriah slept at the entrance of the royal palace
with the other officers of his lord, and did not go down
to his own house.
David was told that Uriah had not gone home.
On the day following, David summoned him,
and he ate and drank with David, who made him drunk.
But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his bed
among his lord’s servants, and did not go down to his home.
The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab
which he sent by Uriah.
In it he directed:
“Place Uriah up front, where the fighting is fierce.
Then pull back and leave him to be struck down dead.”
So while Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah
to a place where he knew the defenders were strong.
When the men of the city made a sortie against Joab,
some officers of David’s army fell,
and among them Uriah the Hittite died
David sent out Joab along with his officers
and the army of Israel,
and they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah.
David, however, remained in Jerusalem.
One evening David rose from his siesta
and strolled about on the roof of the palace.
From the roof he saw a woman bathing, who was very beautiful.
David had inquiries made about the woman and was told,
“She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam,
and wife of Joab’s armor bearer Uriah the Hittite.”
Then David sent messengers and took her.
When she came to him, he had relations with her.
She then returned to her house.
But the woman had conceived,
and sent the information to David, “I am with child.”
David therefore sent a message to Joab,
“Send me Uriah the Hittite.”
So Joab sent Uriah to David.
When he came, David questioned him about Joab, the soldiers,
and how the war was going, and Uriah answered that all was well.
David then said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and bathe your feet.”
Uriah left the palace,
and a portion was sent out after him from the king’s table.
But Uriah slept at the entrance of the royal palace
with the other officers of his lord, and did not go down
to his own house.
David was told that Uriah had not gone home.
On the day following, David summoned him,
and he ate and drank with David, who made him drunk.
But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his bed
among his lord’s servants, and did not go down to his home.
The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab
which he sent by Uriah.
In it he directed:
“Place Uriah up front, where the fighting is fierce.
Then pull back and leave him to be struck down dead.”
So while Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah
to a place where he knew the defenders were strong.
When the men of the city made a sortie against Joab,
some officers of David’s army fell,
and among them Uriah the Hittite died
Responsorial
Psalm PS 51:3-4, 5-6A, 6BCD-7, 10-11
R. (see
3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
I have done such evil in your sight
that you are just in your sentence,
blameless when you condemn.
True, I was born guilty,
a sinner, even as my mother conceived me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness;
the bones you have crushed shall rejoice.
Turn away your face from my sins,
and blot out all my guilt.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
I have done such evil in your sight
that you are just in your sentence,
blameless when you condemn.
True, I was born guilty,
a sinner, even as my mother conceived me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness;
the bones you have crushed shall rejoice.
Turn away your face from my sins,
and blot out all my guilt.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned
Alleluia MT
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.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
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 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.”
“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 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.
“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.
