The Nazareth Page

A gospel meditation for your home

June 16, 2024 – Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mark 4:26-34

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

Download this simple process to Prepare for Sunday using the Observe, Judge, Act Method. 

In my lifetime I have been fortunate to have many good teachers. I would not be the person I am today without their assistance. And it’s one of the primary reasons when it came time for me to choose a career, I decided to be a teacher.

In today’s gospel I am reminded that great teachers have ways of presenting truth that is at times deeply complex and challenging. They do so in ways that their “audience” can understand. Of course, the greatest teacher ever was Jesus, who helped all of us grasp what God is doing with us and for us. He gave examples of what God is like and how we might recognize the presence of God’s actions in our lives.

One of the central teachings of Jesus described “the Kingdom of God” as it was unfolding with his arrival. And he noted that there are signs of it happening. Some may seem quite small, but that does not mean it had not begun. He held in his hand a very small seed. They were familiar with it as its bushes were common in the area. But he noted that no one should dismiss the mustard seed because of its size. It can become something much more.

So, it is with us even today. We look for indicators that “things are good.” That God is present in our lives and that life is worthwhile. And while bad things sometimes happen to good people, that does not mean that in the end evil wins.

So, while God remains primarily in charge of creation, God also is in the midst of creation inviting our cooperation with its development. And nothing that we do to assist God is too small. Every kind word or act counts. And what may seem small or insignificant to us may not be that way at all with God.

As Catholics we pay attention especially to what Pope Francis does to help bring about world peace, improvement of the planet’s health and assistance to those in dire need. But we all have important roles, often not dependent on ecclesial or social position, but simply because we exist in the world today with all its needs, difficulties and challenges. No act of assistance, to anyone in need should be dismissed as insignificant. We are all equally loved by God and each of our lives, day by day, helps in making the world better, now and forever.    

David M. Thomas, PhD