Sunday 17 June
Mark 4:26-34 • Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
Jesus lived most of his life in a predominantly rural setting. At that time the vast majority of human beings lived in the country, in villages or small hamlets. It is no surprise then that he drew heavily on his observation and reflection of nature and farming, as well as the cycle of life, to teach us about the kingdom of heaven. In our largely urbanized modern society, even if we live in a high-rise flat or apartment, many of us have garden boxes and still experience first hand the wonder of planting a seedling in winter and watching it grow and finally bloom in the spring and summer. Mother nature and the cycle of life never cease to imbue in us a sense of wonder and awe.
Just as this is true in nature, so it is also true of the spiritual life. John expresses the beginning of this supernatural cycle of life like this: ‘But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God’ (John 1:12-13).
God’s seed is planted in us in the sacrament of baptism. Our word ‘baptism’ has its roots in the Greek word baptizein which means to ‘plunge’ or ‘immerse’. Our immersion in the water of our baptism represents our sharing in the death and resurrection of the Lord. Baptism is a bath of water in which the imperishable seed of the word of God produces its life-giving effect. We have been born again not of perishable seed but of imperishable seed through the living and enduring word of God.
This seed of God’s grace, given to us in baptism, remains in us throughout our lives. No one can take this grace away from us because it is God’s merciful, unmerited, gracious and irrevocable gift. Our vocation is to facilitate, nourish and nurture this grace throughout our lives. God has given us many blessings and graces to help us in this task, including the vital gift of prayer, the ability to read the Scriptures and receive nourishment from the Eucharist. We also receive the wisdom to know that in dying we live and in serving others we receive a hundredfold and more.
Lord, teach me to protect and preserve the divine life I received through the grace of baptism.
Happy Father's Day!
Ezekiel 17:22-24 • Psalm 91(92):2-3, 13-16
2 Corinthians 5:6-10 • Mark 4:26-34
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