Author: admin

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Gospel: Mark 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.”

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.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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In April 2020, a ninety-nine-year-old British World War Two veteran, Captain Tom Moore, wanted to raise money to support people who became ill with COVID-19.

He promised to walk one-hundred laps around his garden with his walker before his 100^th birthday, only a few weeks away.

His goal was $1,250.

Then his story went viral.

In all, Captain Tom captivated the hearts of 1.5 million people, raising over $40 million!

What started as a humble effort to help a neighbor exploded into a global obsession.

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Captain Tom’s story reminds us that God works in mysterious ways, using simple ideas and ordinary people to change the world.

Jesus starts with twelve Apostles.

A 99-year-old man fundraises $40 million.

A tiny mustard seed, as we hear in the Gospel, becomes the largest of bushes.

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Imagine what the Lord can do in this parish – and in our own lives – if we say, “yes.” Together we can do extraordinary things, one seed, one step, one dollar at time. 

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Gospel: Mark 4: 21-15

Jesus said to his disciples,
“Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket
or under a bed,
and not to be placed on a lampstand?
For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; 
nothing is secret except to come to light.
Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.”
He also told them, “Take care what you hear.
The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, 
and still more will be given to you.
To the one who has, more will be given; 
from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas, a towering intellect who lived in 13^th century Italy.

Any person studying for priesthood or religious life has read his works – perhaps some of you have, too.

It’s been said that Thomas wrote so much it would take a person 25 years of writing day and night in order to copy all of his works.

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But his academic success didn’t come without cost. Some of his closest peers – other monks living in the monastery with him – became terribly jealous.

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One day while having lunch, for example, a group of monks approached him and said, “Look! There’s a horse and chariot flying in the sky!”

Immediately, Thomas rushed to the window, looking up.

Seeing nothing there, he turned around and saw his brothers pointing and laughing at him, as if he were fooled.

Taking a deep breath, Thomas sighed and said, “I’d rather believe a horse could fly than believe my own brothers would lie to me.”

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Words are powerful. They’re meant to teach, to inspire, and to heal. 

Not to hurt. Not to lie.

As Jesus says in the Gospel, “The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.”

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I wonder, then, what will our conversations sound like today?

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May they be filled with words of positivity, praise, and peace.

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Gospel: Mark 3: 31-35

The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house.
Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him.
A crowd seated around him told him,
“Your mother and your brothers and your sisters
are outside asking for you.”
But he said to them in reply,
“Who are my mother and my brothers?”
And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God
is my brother and sister and mother.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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There’s a Chinese proverb that says, “Not one family can put a sign outside their home with the words: No Problems Here.”

Not one family, not even the Holy Family, is free from conflict.

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In the Gospel, for example, Jesus is preaching inside someone’s home, when all of a sudden Mary and some other family members appear wanting to speak with him.

They’re not there to ask Jesus if he’s coming home for dinner. They’re anxious and worried about his safety. They knew Jesus’ teachings could get him into trouble with the authorities, so they’ve come to protect him.

Mark’s Gospel adds a further detail, noting Jesus’ family members think, “He’s out of his mind!”

A jarring reminder that even those closest to Jesus struggle to accept who he is, both God and man.

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Not one family – not even the Holy Family – can say, “No problems here.”

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What problems am I facing at home? Or, what causes stress in my family?

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Maybe it’s finances; the stress from being quarantined; or learning and working from home. Or, like the Holy Family, maybe we struggle to accept one of our own.

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“A house divided amongst itself cannot stand,” Jesus says.

On the contrary, a house united must be built upon the solid foundation of faith, openness, love, and respect.

May the Lord expand our hearts this morning to embrace our families – and all the struggles we endure. 

While we cannot say, “No problems here,” with grace we can say, “All are welcome.”

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