"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near."

Ezekiel 2:2-5
Psalm 123
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Mark 6:1-6

"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near."

Jesus emphasized faith in His prophetic preaching. It is one important theme of His proclamation and preaching, especially at Galilee. He says with emphasis: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news." To believe in the good news. It is the Lord's appeal to all to have faith in Him and the Kingdom of God. However, not all respond in faith. And this we see in the gospel passage of Mark 6:1-6. Those who did not respond in faith were His own countrymen. Their familiarity with Jesus' family background prevented them to discern His divinity. It was this lack of faith that distressed Jesus not only in this instance, but during His entire public ministry. But the Lord continued on for He had great faith in the Father and in the mission of building God's kingdom.

Faith is a gift. And it is not found in all. For those of us who receive this gift, we are called to be grateful and generous. It helps us to know a God who loves all and who wills life in its fullness for all of humanity. It moves us to be good and to correct our way of living and working with others. It helps us to act well in the eyes of both God and man. The more we have faith, the more we will see that God indeed, by our faith in Him, can "move mountains". Faith can indeed move mountains - so that we can overcome whatever toil or hardship that comes our way. Faith is the key to receive the reward God promises us in our present state and at the end of our lives. Oftentimes, we do not see that reward; but faith gives us the eyes to discover where that reward already is. It is often in the truth and wisdom we receive from our encounter with God in prayer and in our work.

Faith can indeed move mountains. But we don't need this degree of faith everyday. The daily miracles of faith we see are those times when we continue to persevere in doing the good that we ought to do, even when others in our environment aren't. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta is our inspiration in this regard. She said, paraphrasing in a few words, "if others are bad, be good just the same". And St. Paul too can inspire us to always act in good faith: "The trials we have had to bear in our lives are no more than people normally have; we can trust God not to let us be tried beyond our strength; and with any trial He will give us a way out of it and the strength to bear it." (1 Cor 10:11-13). 

Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist (B)

"What image will help to present the reign of God?"

Liturgical readings

Ezekiel 17:22-24
Psalm 92
2 Corinthians 5:6-10
Mark 14:26-34

"What image will help to present the reign of God?"

Jesus asked a question to the crowd: "What image will help to present the reign of God?" 

After posing this rhetorical question, He presented a parable of the mustard seed. Previous to both the question and the parable of the mustard seed, He also presented another parable: the parable of the seeds growing quietly while the sower went about doing his other duties. Jesus poses parables to the people with commonplace realities as the subject and the context, so that they can understand better what He was pointing to. Both the parables of the seed growing quietly and the mustard seed used the image of "seed" as an analogy to the reign of God which the Lord Jesus wanted to point to. The first parable used seeds that produced a wheat field ready for harvest, while the second parable used a mustard seed that grew into the largest of shrubs - sheltering the birds of the sky. 

The seeds in the first parable produced food, while the seed in the second parable produced shelter. The gospel helps us to see that the reign of God provides both food and shelter for all its subjects. The food it produces is an imperishable food, and the shelter it provides gives refuge from what can harm. Jesus wants us to see that the reign of God is like a father-king that provides for all the children of His family: both nourishing food and a secure shelter. This Father-King provides everything for us. As His children fed and secured, we are also encouraged to share these provisions with others - that they too may belong to the reign of God.

Catholics are privileged to have a Church that has provided and continues to provide countless generations with the imperishable food in the Eucharist and the refuge needed to be healed from the harm done by sin and potential harm in the future. As nourishment and healing is provided in the Eucharist, the priest extends this "nourishment and healing" to others when he says that we are to love and serve the Lord at the end of the Mass. All baptized lay faithful received this "missionary mandate". And it is a simple mission that can be done in the very circumstances of the lives of every lay person. Like the seed that grows quietly under the earth, every good deed done in family and workplace blooms forth in peace. And like the mustard seed that grows into a big tree, the family and the workplace becomes a shelter in God's protection and love.