Reflection from Ez 17: 22-24; 2Cor 5: 6-10; Mk 4: 26-34
The centrality of this liturgy is the silent and efficient
presence of the Kingdom of God among us. God makes everything for our good and
expects our total confidence in his action. The first reading speaks about the
reality of Babylon’s exile in 597 B.C and presents Ezekiel as one of the
prophets whom accompanied the people in this very difficult period. The people
were without perspective of liberation and Ezekiel motivated them as messenger of
God. According to the prophet, God didn’t forget the people; he is present among
them and will set them free, bringing new life and making his people
referential to announce the goodness of God to all nations. In his process of
liberation the people is like a small plant which will become a big tree. So God
will take his people, oppressed and humiliated, and will exalt them as instrument
of his salvation. This way of acting of God is remembered in the hymn of Virgin
Mary: “The Lord has brought down mighty kings from their thrones, and lifted up
the lowly”.
According to St Paul we are like foreigner and exiled people
in this world, very far from our own dwelling place. We belong to God and we cannot
stay hold to this world, because the great gift of faith we have received from
him give right direction to our life in order we reach secure destination in
him himself. The gift of faith encourages us to assume our Christian identity
close to Christ who is waiting for us to reward each one according to the choices
we have done in this world. All of us are called to new life which can be
achieved through saviour grace of God in Christ and the effort to do good while
we are in this life.
In the gospel Jesus
speaks to the people using parables to explain the dynamic of the Kingdom of
God. The first parable is about the seed which germinates and grows for itself;
the collaboration of human being is only to scatter it and wait for the harvest
in order to collect the fruit. The second one is about the smallness of the
size of mustard seed and the greatness of the results of it. Why does Jesus
speak to the people using parables? The option of Jesus for this kind of
language is because of his identification with the reality of the simple people
and because it is easier for their understanding. Like this he made accessible
for the simple ones the great mysteries of the Kingdom of God. That is the way
chosen by God to act, causing confusion to the doctors and powerful people, and
revealing his mysteries to the poor and powerless.
In his mission, Jesus didn’t announce himself; he announced
the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is the centre of his message. According
to Jesus, the reality and dynamic of the Kingdom of God doesn’t depend on the efforts
of human being, but the action of the grace of God offered freely. Each person is
invited to do the best of oneself in order to collaborate with the growth of
the Kingdom of God on earth, but totally entrusted to the God’s action. St John
Calabria took seriously this commitment, seeking firstly the kingdom of God and
its righteousness. He expresses this through the total confidence and surrender
to the Providence of God the Father. In this truth lays our life and mission as
Poor Servants of Divine Providence.
Many among us are farmer and these parables - besides the
teaching about the reality of the kingdom of God - they were also motivation in
order they may continue their daily straggles with patience and confidence in
the divine action. These parables invite us to observe the process of growth of
plantation in our fields, especially about maize and beans. All of us know that
after the initial work of sowing, we are depending on the rain and the own
strength of the seed. That is the action of God who appreciates the human
effort as participation in the creation and blesses us with abundant harvest.
Let us give thanks to God for the strength that he gives us to work honestly and
may continue granting his blessings for the good of our families.
Fr Ndega
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