June 13, 2021
“The Kingdom of God] 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.”
Mark 4:31-32
Brothers and Sisters,
The joyous sounds of celebration rang out from our Parish school last Thursday. Students, families, and at times the most boisterous teachers and staff enthusiastically said goodbye to what was an exhausting year and welcomed their long-needed vacations! I’m grateful for the entire school community’s commitment to learning during this unprecedented past school year.
I think we can all relate. After all, often, the waiting in life, especially for something good, is hard. But, ask yourself, do we receive Jesus’ proclamation that the Kingdom of God is at hand with more joy than a long-anticipated holiday? It’s important to remember in this instance, for once in life; we don’t have to wait to celebrate. Our Lord is victorious — right now! When we take a minute for this wonderful reality to sink in — that Christ’s Kingdom is here on earth, right now — we have the opportunity to joyfully proclaim Christ’s victory and be part of the mission to spread this good news and His kingdom.
So, how can we become part of this mission and cooperate with God’s graces at work in our lives?
First, we must come to know God and listen to Him in prayer, learning to recognize what God is asking us to do in and with our lives daily. For this, there is no better way to start than God’s own Word. If reading the Bible isn’t among your daily routines, the pace of Summertime can be an excellent chance to begin. Though no elaborate plan is needed, I recommend avoiding the temptation to select passages by randomly opening the Bible. Instead, focus on the assigned daily scripture readings each week (you can find those here), then begin with five to ten minutes of Scripture a day. This Summer, the Sunday Masses will read through the Gospel of Mark chapters 4 to 6 and the Bread of Life discourse in the Gospel of John, chapter 6. Another way to incorporate daily Scripture is the Bible in a Year. These podcast episodes from Fr. Mike Schmitz leads the listener through the Scriptures in chronological order. While episodes began in January, don’t be deterred because the content is produced in a way, so you can start listening at any time and work through the Scriptures at your own pace. For families, with everyone home and off from school, Ascension Press has just released The Great Adventure Reading Plan for Kids. This fantastic guide works through 14 narrative books in Scripture over a planned 23 weeks, covering the complete story of Salvation History. While one family might read through the plan in three months, others might take a year. Either approach, families will benefit from the time of prayer and listen to God’s Word together.
As the mustard seed may seem insignificant, cultivating our faith in small and simple ways has an immense impact by the grace of God in ourselves, our families, our community, and our world. May the Summer truly bring our Parish a renewed connection with our Lord in prayer and with each other!
St. Joseph, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever.
Rev. Michael S. Triplett