Sunday Gospel Reflection
11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mark 4:26-34
The Parable of the Seed
Josie Gonzalez
“The Kingdom of God is like this. A man scatters seed in his field… and all the while the seeds are sprouting and growing. When the grain is ripe…harvest time has come. A man takes a mustard seed, the smallest seed in the world, and plants it in the ground…it grows up and becomes the biggest of all plants.”
Ang ebanghelyo sa araw na ito ay tungkol sa Kaharian ng Diyos. The Gospel today likens the Kingdom of God to a “growing seed” planted by man and left to grow by itself ‘til it is ripe for harvest. Inihahambing din ang kanyang kaharian sa mustard seed, the smallest seed in the world that, when sown, becomes the largest of plants so that birds in the sky are able to dwell in the shade of its branches. In other words, God’s kingdom does not come out from the skies as something dramatic for the physical eye to see. It starts from a “seed”, nurtured and taken care of ‘til it bears fruit.
The parables talk about growth—growing seeds of love and trust, compassion, and understanding, seeds of joy, honesty, humility, and forgiveness.
We have to listen and pay attention to what the Lord is telling us for us to feel His Kingdom in our hearts as we go about to fulfill our mission in Christ.
Paano ba natin sinisimulan ang araw natin? Nagpapasalamat ba tayo sa Diyos na gumising pa tayo, humihilig na gabayan tayo sa pagbangon sa umaga para maaliwalas ang buong araw? Let’s start the day with “seeds” of thanksgiving and gratitude for another day of life. Or, do we start the day with “seeds” of despair, anger, frustration, greed, and fear?
Gaano man kahirap ang pinagdadaanan natin sa araw araw, we must remember to plant the “seed” of obedience knowing that God will never forsake us. Christ Jesus is our greatest model of obedience by fulfilling the will of the Father to go through His passion and death for our sake. The Cross is the symbol of the Father’s great love for us and the symbol of Jesus’ total obedience to Him.
In a homily given by Fr. Tito Caluag earlier this week, he reminds us to “soak ourselves in the love of God as described in the Scriptures.” What better way than to start each day with Holy Mass where the scripture is written all over?
Like the “seed” in today’s Gospel, let us plant “small” ‘til we get the hang of it but grow “big” to become influencers to the needy and the lost, to our family, our friends and neighbors. Sa paraang ito ay magagampanan natin ang misyon natin sa Panginoon.
The gospel tells us to begin somewhere no matter how small. Let growth take its natural course. Our job is to watch and pray that we are on the “path made straight for the Lord”. Our role in life is to sow seeds and not be preoccupied with producing the harvest because God’s kingdom does not happen overnight; it comes in stages. We just have to keep sowing “seeds” of perseverance and patience and trust in the Almighty and as we persevere and trust, we become a source of nourishment and care for others. We bring out the best in people we work with, with the people we meet in our day-to-day life. Our mission is to make a difference in people. Tall order but do we believe we can make this happen? Magtiwala tayo sa Panginoon. Wala namang imposible sa kanya, hindi ba? Pagnilayan natin ito.
Sa pagninilay natin, pumasok ba sa ating isipan na kailangan munang mahalin ang sarili? Paano tayo makapagbibigay ng pagmamahal sa kapwa if we did not love ourselves first? We have to feel the beauty of love and experience love for self before we are able to give it to others.
Let me share this beautiful reflection on today’s Gospel that I quoted from the book “365 DAYS with the LORD 2021”: “God is the God of here, there, and everywhere. The Kingdom can find its way into the lives of individuals and communities in ways that may be surprising. It is the mustard seed that becomes a tree and shelter for all—for every man, woman, and child—no matter how humble and subtle it may begin.”
A living proof is the emergence of community pantries to feed the hungry—a blessed experience of God’s Kingdom. The healing of the sick “e-pray” for COVID-19 patients in hospitals and isolation centers initiated by Fr. Luciano Felloni in the Novaliches diocese, is divine intervention. HOPELINE (Natasha Goulbourn Foundation) is an open line providing hope and support for those experiencing emotional crisis and other mental health issues, especially during this most uncertain time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Truly, God works in mysterious ways.
My favorite priest, Fr. JC Gallora of the Disciples of Hope, has this to share: “the power of goodness (God’s Kingdom) may appear small and insignificant, but it goes a long way in transforming hearts and eventually society, and in the end, will bring us to eternal life.”
Everything will happen according to God’s plan and His plan will always happen. Life is about Him. Our only purpose in life is to serve the Lord with all our heart and mind and soul. If we can see God in the people around us, and by doing good, then we are serving Him. But we have to cleanse ourselves of all the negatives that confront us—destructive seeds of oppression, greed, corruption, violence. Mahilig ba tayo sa fake news? Papano tayo magbabago para sa ikalulugod ng Diyos? Ramdam ba natin ang tunay na kagustuhan ng Panginoon?
Let us pray for discernment and guidance. Praying to God changes us so we may level up in our spiritual life.
A blessed Sunday to all!
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Photo: Seeds of Change by Joshua Lanzarini
